Fuel supply apparatus

ABSTRACT

A support shaft connects between a flange and a pump unit. An intermediate member, which connects between the support shaft and pump unit, enables a relative positional change between the support shaft and the pump unit in an axial direction of the support shaft. The intermediate member limits a relative positional change between the support shaft and the pump unit in a circumferential direction of the support shaft. A resilient member is received in the support shaft and exerts a restoring force in an axial direction of the support shaft to urge the pump unit, which is movable relative to the support shaft in the axial direction, toward a bottom portion of the fuel tank.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based on and incorporates herein by referenceJapanese Patent Application No. 2010-204621 filed on Sep. 13, 2010,Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-64730 filed on Mar. 23, 2011 andJapanese Patent Application No. 2011-64731 filed on Mar. 23, 2011.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a fuel supply apparatus.

2. Description of Related Art

In a known fuel supply apparatus, a flange, which is installed to a fueltank of a vehicle (e.g., an automobile), is connected to a pump unit,which is placed in the fuel tank and pumps fuel out of the fuel tank,through support shafts.

For instance, Japanese unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-248801Ateaches a fuel supply apparatus, in which a flange is connected to apump unit through multiple support shafts. When the flange is connectedto the pump unit through the multiple support shafts at multiplelocations, respectively, it is possible to limit a deviation (positionaldeviation) in an installation position of the pump unit in the fuel tankupon application of vibrations. Such vibrations include, for example,vibrations generated from the pump unit at the time of pumping the fueland/or vibrations generated at the time of driving the vehicle, to whichthe fuel supply apparatus is installed. The positional deviation of thepump unit may possibly cause deterioration in a fuel processingperformance, such as a fuel delivery performance of the pump unit.Therefore, in order to ensure the required product quality, it isimportant to limit the positional deviation of the pump unit.

The installation position of the flange relative to the fuel tank isdetermined based on, for example, locations of fuel conduits andelectrical wires on the vehicle. The installation position of the pumpunit in the inside of the fuel tank is determined based on, for example,a configurations of the fuel tank and of the pump unit. Thereby, theinstallation position of the flange and the installation position of thepump unit are determined to satisfy the different requirements.Therefore, for example, in the case of the fuel supply apparatus ofJapanese unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-248801A, theinstallation position of each support shaft needs to be changed everytime one of the installation position of the flange and the installationposition of the pump unit is changed. Therefore, it will deteriorate aversatility of the fuel supply apparatus, i.e., a capability of the fuelsupply apparatus to be used in various applications (e.g., various typesof fuel tanks).

Furthermore, in the fuel supply apparatus of Japanese unexamined PatentPublication No. 2008-248801A, a resilient member, which urges the pumpunit, is exposed in the inside of the fuel tank. Therefore, when thepump unit is moved relative to the support shaft due to, for example,the deformation of the fuel tank, the resilient member may possiblyinterfere with other components (e.g., an electrical line, whichsupplies an electric power to the pump unit, and/or a tube, whichconducts fuel from the pump unit to the outside of the fuel tank) of thefuel supply apparatus. The above interference may possiblydisadvantageously cause generation of noises due to, for example, acollision between the resilient member and the other components.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention addresses the above disadvantages. According tothe present invention, there is provided fuel supply apparatus, whichincludes a flange, a pump unit, a single support shaft and anintermediate member. The flange is configured to be installed to a fueltank. The pump unit is configured to be installed in an inside of thefuel tank to pump fuel received in the inside of the fuel tank to anoutside of the fuel tank. The support shaft connects between the flangeand the pump unit. The intermediate member connects between the supportshaft and the pump unit. The intermediate member enables a relativepositional change between the support shaft and the pump unit in anaxial direction of the support shaft. The intermediate member limits arelative positional change between the support shaft and the pump unitin a circumferential direction of the support shaft.

The fuel supply apparatus may further include a holding member thatholds the pump unit in the fuel tank. The intermediate member mayinclude at least one coupling portion, which is engaged with or formedintegrally with the holding member and is thereby coupled to the holdingmember. The intermediate member may be received in the support shaft.The intermediate member may include a first bracket and a secondbracket. The first bracket may receive the support shaft and may includethe at least one coupling portion. The second bracket may be connectedto the support shaft in an inserted state, in which the second bracketis inserted into the support shaft, such that relative rotation betweenthe second bracket and the support shaft in the circumferentialdirection of the support shaft is limited. Alternatively oradditionally, the first bracket may include the at least one couplingportion, and the second bracket may be connected to the support shaft ina positioned state, in which the second bracket is positioned relativeto the support shaft, such that relative rotation between the secondbracket and the support shaft in the circumferential direction of thesupport shaft is limited. The first bracket and the second bracket maybe placed between the support shaft and the pump unit. The fuel supplyapparatus may further include a third bracket, which is placed betweenthe support shaft and the flange such that the third bracket isconnected to the support shaft and the flange in a state where the thirdbracket is positioned relative to the support shaft and the flange. Theintermediate member and the support shaft may be connected together in apress fitted state, in which the intermediate member and the supportshaft are press fitted together. The holding member may include at leastone planar portion, which extends in the axial direction of the supportshaft, and the at least one coupling portion may be engaged with the atleast one planar portion in a state where the coupling portion makes asurface-to-surface contact with the at least one planar portion. The atleast one planar portion of the holding member may include two planarportions, which are provided in an inner peripheral surface of theholding member to form an opening that is configured as an elongatedhole. The intermediate member may be formed integrally with the supportshaft. The at least one coupling portion of the intermediate member mayinclude two coupling portions, which are engaged with the two planarportions, respectively, of the holding member. The support shaft mayinclude a plurality of longitudinal grooves, which are arranged oneafter another in the circumferential direction of the support shaft, andat least one of the plurality of longitudinal grooves may be engagedwith a corresponding portion of the intermediate member from both of twodiametrically opposed circumferential sides of the corresponding portionof the intermediate member, which are diametrically opposed to eachother, so that the support shaft is connected to the intermediatemember.

According to the present invention, there may be also provided a fuelsupply apparatus, which includes a flange, a pump unit, a support shaftand a resilient member. The flange is configured to be installed to afuel tank. The pump unit is configured to be installed in an inside ofthe fuel tank to pump fuel received in the inside of the fuel tank to anoutside of the fuel tank. The support shaft is configured into a tubularbody and connects between the flange and the pump unit. The resilientmember is received in the support shaft and exerts a restoring force inan axial direction of the support shaft to urge the pump unit, which ismovable relative to the support shaft in the axial direction, toward abottom portion of the fuel tank.

According to the present invention, there may be provided amanufacturing method of any of the above fuel supply apparatuses.According to the manufacturing method, the second bracket of theintermediate member is connected to the support shaft in the insertedstate, in which the second bracket is inserted into the support shaft.Then, the at least one coupling portion of the first bracket of theintermediate member is coupled to the holding member. Thereafter, theflange, which is connected to the support shaft, is installed to thefuel tank, so that the pump unit, which is held by the holding member,is placed in the inside of the fuel tank.

According to the present invention, there may be provided amanufacturing method of any of the above fuel supply apparatuses.According to the manufacturing method, the at least one coupling portionof the first bracket of the intermediate member is coupled to theholding member. Then, the support shaft is connected to the secondbracket of the intermediate member in the positioned state, in which thesecond bracket is positioned relative to the support shaft. Thereafter,the support shaft and the flange are connected to the third bracket ofthe intermediate member after positioning the support shaft and theflange relative to the third bracket. Then, the flange is installed tothe fuel tank, so that the pump unit, which is held by the holdingmember, is placed in the inside of the fuel tank.

According to the present invention, there may be provided amanufacturing method of any of the above fuel supply apparatuses.According to the manufacturing method, the intermediate member and thesupport shaft are connected together in a press fitted state, in whichthe intermediate member and the support shaft are press fitted together.Then, the at least one coupling portion of the intermediate member iscoupled to the holding member. The flange, which is connected to thesupport shaft, is installed to the fuel tank, so that the pump unit,which is held by the holding member, is placed in the inside of the fueltank.

According to the present invention, there may be provided amanufacturing method of any of the above fuel supply apparatuses.According to the manufacturing method, the two coupling portions of theintermediate member, which is formed integrally with the support shaft,are coupled to the two planar portions, respectively, of the holdingmember. Then, the flange, which is coupled to the support shaft, isinstalled to the fuel tank, so that the pump unit, which is held by theholding member, is placed in the inside of the fuel tank.

According to the present invention, there may be provided amanufacturing method of any of the above fuel supply apparatuses.According to the manufacturing method, the intermediate member is fittedto the at least one of the plurality of longitudinal grooves. Then, theflange, which is connected to the support shaft, is installed to thefuel tank, so that the pump unit, which is held by the holding member,is placed in the inside of the fuel tank.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention, together with additional objectives, features andadvantages thereof, will be best understood from the followingdescription, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fuel supply apparatus according to afirst embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 3,showing a structure of the fuel supply apparatus of the firstembodiment;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the fuel supply apparatus of the firstembodiment;

FIG. 4 is a top view of a sub-tank of the fuel supply apparatus of thefirst embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing an adjusting mechanism ofthe fuel supply apparatus of the first embodiment;

FIGS. 10A to 10E are schematic diagrams for describing a manufacturingmethod of the fuel supply apparatus of the first embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a fuel supplyapparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a top view of the fuel supply apparatus of the secondembodiment;

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII in FIG. 12,showing a structure of the fuel supply apparatus of the secondembodiment;

FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view showing an adjusting mechanismof the fuel supply apparatus of the second embodiment;

FIGS. 15A to 15E are schematic diagrams for describing a manufacturingmethod of the fuel supply apparatus of the second embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a fuel supplyapparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view similar to that of FIG. 13, showingthe fuel supply apparatus of third embodiment;

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view similar to that of FIG. 7, showing afuel supply apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing an adjusting mechanism of the fuelsupply apparatus of the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 20 is an exploded perspective view showing the adjusting mechanismof the fuel supply apparatus of the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 21 is a perspective view showing a main feature of the fuel supplyapparatus of the fourth embodiment;

FIGS. 22A to 22E are schematic diagrams for describing a manufacturingmethod of the fuel supply apparatus of the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view similar to that of FIG. 7, showing afuel supply apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 24 is a perspective view showing an adjusting mechanism of the fuelsupply apparatus of the fifth embodiment;

FIG. 25 is an exploded perspective view showing the adjusting mechanismof the fuel supply apparatus of the fifth embodiment;

FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XXVI-XXVI in FIG. 29,showing a structure of a fuel supply apparatus according to a sixthembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 27 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XXVII-XXVII in FIG.29, showing a structure of the fuel supply apparatus of the sixthembodiment;

FIG. 28 is an exploded perspective view showing an adjusting mechanismof the fuel supply apparatus of the sixth embodiment;

FIG. 29 is a perspective view showing a main feature of the fuel supplyapparatus of the sixth embodiment;

FIG. 30 is a perspective view showing the adjusting mechanism of thefuel supply apparatus of the sixth embodiment;

FIG. 31A is a perspective view showing a third bracket of the fuelsupply apparatus of the sixth embodiment;

FIG. 31B is a perspective view showing a connecting portion of the fuelsupply apparatus of the sixth embodiment;

FIGS. 32A to 32F are schematic diagrams for describing a manufacturingmethod of the fuel supply apparatus of the sixth embodiment;

FIG. 33 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XXXIII-XXXIII in FIG.35, showing a structure of a fuel supply apparatus according to seventhembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 34 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XXXIV-XXXIV in FIG.35, showing the structure of the fuel supply apparatus of the seventhembodiment;

FIG. 35 is a perspective view showing a main feature of the fuel supplyapparatus of the seventh embodiment;

FIG. 36 is an exploded perspective view showing an adjusting mechanismof the fuel supply apparatus of the seventh embodiment;

FIG. 37 is a perspective view showing the adjusting mechanism of thefuel supply apparatus of the seventh embodiment;

FIG. 38 is a perspective view showing a third bracket and a connectingportion of the fuel supply apparatus of the seventh embodiment;

FIGS. 39A to 39E are schematic diagrams for describing a manufacturingmethod of the fuel supply apparatus of the seventh embodiment;

FIG. 40 is a cross-sectional view showing an adjusting mechanism of afuel supply apparatus according to an eighth embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 41 is an exploded perspective view showing the adjusting mechanismof the fuel supply apparatus of the eighth embodiment;

FIG. 42 is a cross-sectional view showing a modification the adjustingmechanism of the fuel supply apparatus of the eighth embodiment;

FIG. 43 is an exploded perspective view showing the modification of theadjusting mechanism of the fuel supply apparatus of the eighthembodiment;

FIG. 44 is a cross-sectional view showing an adjusting mechanism of afuel supply apparatus according to a ninth embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 45 is an exploded perspective view showing the adjusting mechanismof the fuel supply apparatus of the ninth embodiment;

FIG. 46 is a cross-sectional view showing an adjusting mechanism of afuel supply apparatus according to a tenth embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 47 is a perspective view showing the adjusting mechanism of thefuel supply apparatus of the tenth embodiment;

FIG. 48A is a front view showing an adjusting mechanism of a fuel supplyapparatus according to an eleventh embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 48B is a lateral cross-sectional view of the adjusting mechanism ofthe fuel supply apparatus of the eleventh embodiment;

FIG. 49A is a top view showing an intermediate member of the fuel supplyapparatus of the eleventh embodiment;

FIG. 49B is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the intermediatemember of the fuel supply apparatus of the eleventh embodiment;

FIG. 50 is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view showing anadjusting mechanism of a fuel supply apparatus according to a twelfthembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 51A is a front view showing a support shaft of the fuel supplyapparatus of the twelfth embodiment;

FIG. 51B is a lateral cross-sectional view of the support shaft of thefuel supply apparatus of the twelfth embodiment;

FIG. 52 is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view showing anadjusting mechanism of a fuel supply apparatus according to a thirteenthembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 53 is a lateral cross-sectional view showing the adjustingmechanism of the fuel supply apparatus of the thirteenth embodiment;

FIG. 54 is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view showing anadjusting mechanism of a fuel supply apparatus according to a fourteenthembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 55 is an exploded perspective view showing the adjusting mechanismof the fuel supply apparatus of the fourteenth embodiment;

FIG. 56 is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view showing anadjusting mechanism of a fuel supply apparatus according to a fifteenthembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 57 is an exploded perspective view showing the adjusting mechanismof the fuel supply apparatus of the fifteenth embodiment;

FIG. 58 is a perspective view showing an intermediate member of amodification of the fuel supply apparatus of the fifteenth embodiment;

FIG. 59 is a cross-sectional view taken along line LIX-LIX in FIG. 61,showing a structure of a fuel supply apparatus according to a sixteenthembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 60 is a cross-sectional view taken along line LX-LX in FIG. 61,showing the structure of the fuel supply apparatus of the sixteenthembodiment;

FIG. 61 is a perspective view of the fuel supply apparatus of thesixteenth embodiment;

FIG. 62 is a partially fractured lateral view showing a pump unit of thefuel supply apparatus of the sixteenth embodiment;

FIG. 63 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing an adjustingmechanism of the fuel supply apparatus of the sixteenth embodiment shownin FIG. 59;

FIG. 64 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the adjustingmechanism of the fuel supply apparatus of the sixteenth embodiment shownin FIG. 60;

FIG. 65 is a perspective view showing the adjusting mechanism of thefuel supply apparatus of the sixteenth embodiment;

FIG. 66 is a cross-sectional view showing the adjusting mechanism of thefuel supply apparatus of the sixteenth embodiment in a state, which isdifferent from that of FIG. 63;

FIG. 67 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a fuel supplyapparatus according to a seventeenth embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 68 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an adjustingmechanism of the fuel supply apparatus of the seventeenth embodiment;

FIG. 69 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the fuel supplyapparatus of the seventeenth embodiment in a state, which is differentfrom that of FIG. 67;

FIG. 70 is a cross-sectional view showing the adjusting mechanism of thefuel supply apparatus of the seventeenth embodiment in a state, which isdifferent from that of FIG. 68;

FIG. 71 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the fuel supplyapparatus of the seventeenth embodiment in a state, which is differentfrom that of FIG. 67 or 69;

FIG. 72 is a cross-sectional view showing the adjusting mechanism of thefuel supply apparatus of the seventeenth embodiment in a state, which isdifferent from that of FIG. 68 or 70;

FIG. 73 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an adjustingmechanism of a fuel supply apparatus according to an eighteenthembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 74 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the adjustingmechanism of the fuel supply apparatus of the eighteenth embodiment in astate, which is different from that of FIG. 73;

FIG. 75 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the adjustingmechanism of the fuel supply apparatus of the eighteenth embodiment in astate, which is different from that of FIG. 73 or 74;

FIG. 76 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an adjustingmechanism of a fuel supply apparatus according to a nineteenthembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 77 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the adjustingmechanism of the fuel supply apparatus of the nineteenth embodiment in astate, which is different from that of FIG. 76;

FIG. 78 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the adjustingmechanism of the fuel supply apparatus of the nineteenth embodiment in astate, which is different from that of FIG. 76 or 77;

FIG. 79 is a longitudinal cross sectional view showing an adjustingmechanism of a fuel supply apparatus according to a twentieth embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 80 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the adjustingmechanism of the fuel supply apparatus of the twentieth embodiment in astate, which is different from that of FIG. 79;

FIG. 81 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the adjustingmechanism of the fuel supply apparatus of the twentieth embodiment in astate, which is different from that of FIG. 79 or 80;

FIG. 82 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an adjustingmechanism of a fuel supply apparatus according to a twenty-firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 83 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the adjustingmechanism of the fuel supply apparatus of the twenty-first embodiment ina state, which is different from that of FIG. 82; and

FIG. 84 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the adjustingmechanism of the fuel supply apparatus of the twenty-first embodiment ina state, which is different from that of FIG. 82 or 83.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Various embodiments of the present invention will be described withreference to the accompanying drawings. In the following respectiveembodiments, similar components will be indicated by the same referencenumerals and may not be redundantly descried for the sake of simplicity.In each of the following embodiments, if only a part of a structure isdescribed, the remaining part is the same as that of the previouslydescribed embodiment(s). Furthermore, one or more of the components ofany one of the following embodiments may be combined with any componentsof another one or more of the following embodiments as long as there isno problem with respect to such a combination of the components.

First Embodiment

Now, a basic structure of a fuel supply apparatus according to a firstembodiment of the present invention will be described with reference tothe accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show the fuel supply apparatus 1 of the first embodiment.The fuel supply apparatus 1 is installed to a fuel tank 2 of a vehicle(e.g., an automobile) and supplies fuel out of the fuel tank 2. The fuelsupply apparatus 1 includes a flange 10, a sub-tank 20, a cover member30, an adjusting mechanism 40, a pump unit 50 and a remaining fuelquantity sensing device 60. As shown in FIG. 2, the above-describedcomponents 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 of the fuel supply apparatus 1 other thanthe flange 10 are placed in a predetermined location in the fuel tank 2.A top-to-bottom direction of FIG. 2 substantially coincides with avertical direction of the vehicle, which is parked on a horizontalground (horizontal plane).

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the flange 10 is made of a resin material andis configured into a circular disk body. The flange 10 is fitted to andcloses a through-hole 2 b, which extends through a top plate portion 2 aof the fuel tank 2. A fuel supply conduit 11 and an electric connector12 are formed in the flange 10. The fuel supply conduit 11 supplies thefuel, which is discharged from the pump unit 50, to the outside of thefuel tank 2. The electric connector 12 is electrically connected to thepump unit 50 and the remaining fuel quantity sensing device 60. In thisway, an electric power is supplied to a fuel pump 52 of the pump unit 50through the electric connector 12 to drive the fuel pump 52, and aremaining fuel quantity measurement signal, which indicates a remainingfuel quantity of the fuel tank 2, is outputted from the remaining fuelquantity sensing device 60 through the electric connector 12.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the sub-tank 20 is made of a resinmaterial and is configured into cup-shaped body (a cylindrical tubularbody with a closed bottom). The sub-tank 20 is received in the fuel tank2 at a corresponding location (see FIGS. 3 and 5), at which a centralaxis Cs of the sub-tank 20 is offset from a central axis Cf of theflange 10, and the sub-tank 20 is placed on a bottom portion 2 c of thefuel tank 2. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, a jet pump 21 is provided at abottom portion 20 a of the sub-tank 20. The jet pump 21 includes aninlet passage 22 and a jet nozzle 23. The inlet passage 22 communicatesbetween the inside of the fuel tank 2 and the inside of the sub-tank 20.The jet nozzle 23 injects excessive fuel, which is outputted from apressure regulator 54 (see FIG. 6) of the pump unit 50, into the inletpassage 22. A negative pressure, which is lower than the atmosphericpressure, is generated in the inlet passage 22 by the fuel injectionfrom the jet nozzle 23, so that the fuel in the fuel tank 2 is drawninto the inlet passage 22 and is then conducted to the sub-tank 20. Thesub-tank 20 stores the fuel, which is supplied to the sub-tank 20 in theabove-described manner.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, the cover member 30 is made of aresin material and is configured into an inverted cup-shaped body (aninverted cylindrical tubular body with a closed bottom). A peripheralportion 31 a of a lower opening 31 of the cover member 30 is fitted to aperipheral portion 24 a of an upper opening 24 of the sub-tank 20. Inthis way, the cover member 30 is received in the fuel tank 2 at acorresponding location (see FIGS. 3 and 5), at which a central axis Ccof the cover member 30 is offset from the central axis Cf of the flange10, and the cover member 30 closes the opening 24 of the sub-tank 20.The cover member 30 holds the remaining fuel quantity sensing device 60and the pump unit 50 in the inside of the fuel tank 2.

The adjusting mechanism 40 includes a support shaft 41, an intermediatemember 42 and a resilient member 43. The support shaft 41 is made of ametal material and is configured into a cylindrical tubular body. Thesupport shaft 41 is coaxially and securely press fitted into the flange10 and is connected to the sub-tank 20, the cover member 30, the pumpunit 50 and the remaining fuel quantity sensing device 60, which areintegrated together and will be hereinafter simply referred to asintegrated components 20, 30, 50, 60, through the intermediate member42. In this way, the flange 10 is connected to the integrated components20, 30, 50, 60 through the single support shaft 41.

As shown in FIG. 2, the intermediate member 42 includes two brackets,i.e., first and second brackets 44, 45, which are made of a resinmaterial. The first bracket 44 and the second bracket 45 are connectedto each other such that the first bracket 44 and the second bracket 45are displaceable relative to each other in an axial direction of thesupport shaft 41 but are not displaceable relative to each other in acircumferential direction of the support shaft 41. When the first andsecond brackets 44, 45 of the intermediate member 42 are installed tothe cover member 30 and the support shaft 41, the intermediate member 42enables a relative positional change between the support shaft 41 andthe integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 in the axial direction of thesupport shaft 41 and limits a relative positional change between thesupport shaft 41 and the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 in thecircumferential direction of the support shaft 41.

The resilient member 43 is a coil spring in this embodiment and isinterposed between the second bracket 45 and the cover member 30. Theresilient member 43 exerts a restoring force (urging force) in the axialdirection of the support shaft 41 to urge the integrated components 20,30, 50, 60 toward the bottom portion 2 c of the fuel tank 2, so that thebottom portion 20 a of the sub-tank 20 is always urged against thebottom portion 2 c of the fuel tank 2. In the present embodiment, theabove-described functions of the resilient member 43 and of theintermediate member 42 enable the stabilization of the positioning ofthe integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 in the fuel tank 2.

A lower portion of the pump unit 50 is received in the sub-tank 20, andan upper portion of the pump unit 50 projects upward from the covermember 30. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the pump unit 50 includes asuction filter 51, the fuel pump 52, a fuel filter 53 and the pressureregulator 54.

The suction filter 51 is placed at a lowermost portion of the pump unit50. The suction filter 51 is connected to a fuel inlet 52 a of the fuelpump 52 and filters relatively large foreign objects (debris) containedin the fuel, which is drawn by the fuel pump 52 from the sub-tank 20.The fuel pump 52 is placed on an upper side of the suction filter 51 ofthe pump unit 50 and has the fuel inlet 52 a and a fuel outlet 52 b,which are directed downward and upward, respectively. The fuel pump 52draws the fuel from the sub-tank 20 through the suction filter 51 andthe fuel inlet 52 a of the fuel pump 52 in response to rotation of anelectric motor (not shown) of the fuel pump 52, which is received in ahousing of the fuel pump 52. Then, the fuel pump 52 pressurizes thedrawn fuel and discharges the pressurized fuel through the fuel outlet52 b.

The fuel filter 53 is placed to cover an outer peripheral side and anupper side of the fuel pump 52 in the pump unit 50. A filter case 55 ofthe fuel filter 53 includes two cylindrical portions, i.e., inner andouter tubular portions 55 a, 55 b, which are coaxially placed and aremade of a resin material. The fuel pump 52 is coaxially placed in aspace 55 c, which is located radially inward of the inner tubularportion 55 a. A filter element 56 of the fuel filter 53 is made of afilter material, which is configured into, for instance, a honeycombbody and is received in a space 55 d, which is radially located betweenthe inner tubular portion 55 a and the outer tubular portion 55 b. Thespace 55 d, which is radially located between the inner and outertubular portions 55 a, 55 b, is communicated with the fuel outlet 52 bof the fuel pump 52 and a fuel outlet 59 of the fuel filter 53 on anupstream side and a downstream side, respectively, of the filter element56. In this way, the fuel, which is supplied from the fuel outlet 52 bof the fuel pump 52 into the space 55 d, is filtered through the filterelement 56 to filter fine foreign objects (debris) and is thendischarged through the fuel outlet 59 of the fuel filter 53 toward thefuel supply conduit 11, which is communicated with the fuel outlet 59,as indicated by a dot-dash line in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 6, the pressure regulator 54 is placed adjacent to thefuel filter 53 on a lateral side of the fuel filter 53 in the pump unit50. A portion of the fuel, which is directed toward the fuel supplyconduit 11, is supplied to the pressure regulator 54, which is connectedto the fuel outlet 59 of the fuel filter 53. In this way, the pressureregulator 54 adjusts the pressure of the fuel to be discharged towardthe fuel supply conduit 11 located outside of the fuel tank 2. Excessivefuel, which becomes excessive at the time of adjusting the pressure ofthe fuel at the pressure regulator 54, is discharged to the jet nozzle23 (see FIG. 4) of the jet pump 21 through a drain conduit 54 a.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the remaining fuel quantity sensing device 60is held on the cover member 30 and is placed at the outside of thesub-tank 20. The remaining fuel quantity sensing device 60 is a sendergauge. Specifically, the remaining fuel quantity sensing device 60senses a quantity of the remaining fuel in the fuel tank 2 based on ameasured rotational angle of an arm 62, which holds a float 61 thatfloats on a top of the fuel in the fuel tank 2.

Now a characteristic structure of the fuel supply apparatus 1 will bedescribed. In the following description, the circumferential directionof the support shaft 41 will be also simply referred to as thecircumferential direction, and the axial direction of the support shaft41 will be also simply referred to as the axial direction.

As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, in the adjusting mechanism 40, the firstbracket 44 of the intermediate member 42 is configured into a doublecylindrical tubular body (i.e., a body having two cylindrical tubularportions, which are arranged one after another in a radial directionthereof), which is placed coaxially with the support shaft 41.Specifically, the first bracket 44 includes two tubular portions, i.e.,outer and inner tubular portions 440, 441 which are connected togetherby a connecting portion 442 placed at lower ends of the outer and innertubular portions 440, 441, and two longitudinal grooves 440 a, 441 arespectively interrupt the outer and inner tubular portions 440, 441 attwo circumferential locations, respectively.

The outer tubular portion 440 of the first bracket 44 has two couplingportions 440 b, which are diametrically opposed to each other and eachof which is placed between the longitudinal grooves 440 a in thecircumferential direction. Each coupling portion 440 b engaged with aninner peripheral surface 300 a of an opening (also referred to as areceiver) 300 of the cover member 30, which serves as a holding member,so that each coupling portion 440 b is coupled to the cover member 30.In the present embodiment, two recesses 300 b are formed at twocircumferential locations, respectively, in the inner peripheral surface300 a of the opening 300, and each of the coupling portions 440 b has anengaging claw (engaging protrusion) 440 c, which is engaged with acorresponding one of the recesses 300 b. Through the engagement betweenthe recess and the protrusion, i.e., between the recess 300 b and theengaging claw 440 c, the cover member 30 limits relative positionalchanges between the first bracket 44 and the cover member 30,specifically, relative axial displacement between the first bracket 44and the cover member 30 and relative circumferential rotation betweenthe first bracket 44 and the cover member 30.

The inner tubular portion 441 of the first bracket 44 has two rotationlimiting portions 441 b, which are diametrically opposed to each otherand each of which is placed between the longitudinal grooves 440 a inthe circumferential direction. Each rotation limiting portion 441 b isplaced radially inward of a corresponding one of the coupling portions440 b to form a gap 443 having an arcuate cross section at a radiallocation between the rotation limiting portion 441 b and thecorresponding coupling portion 440 b. The inner tubular portion 441 ofthe first bracket 44 is loosely received in a cylindrical inner space410 of the support shaft 41, so that the support shaft 41 is received inthe gaps 443 of the first bracket 44 in a manner that enables relativerotation between the support shaft 41 and the first bracket 44.

The second bracket 45, which forms the intermediate member 42 incorporation with the first bracket 44, is configured into a doublecylindrical tubular body, which is placed coaxially with the supportshaft 41, as shown in FIGS. 2, 8 and 9. Specifically, the second bracket45 includes two tubular portions, i.e., outer and inner tubular portions450, 451 which are connected together by a connecting portion 452 placedat upper ends of the outer and inner tubular portions 450, 451, and twolongitudinal grooves 450 a respectively interrupt the outer and innertubular portions 450, 451 at two circumferential locations,respectively.

The outer tubular portion 450 of the second bracket 45 has two fittingportions 450 b, which are diametrically opposed to each other and eachof which is placed between the longitudinal grooves 450 a in thecircumferential direction. As shown in FIG. 8, each filling portion 450b is axially slidably fitted into a corresponding one of thelongitudinal grooves 441 a, each of which is circumferentially formedbetween the rotation limiting portions 441 b of the inner tubularportion 441 that has an outer diameter, which is substantially the sameas that of the outer tubular portion 450. With the axial slide fittingof the fitting portions 450 b into the longitudinal grooves 441 a,respectively, the second bracket 45 is connected to the first bracket 44such that the first bracket 44 and the second bracket 45 aredisplaceable relative to each other in the axial direction, along whicheach longitudinal groove 441 a extends, but are not displaceablerelative to each other in the circumferential direction, in which eachof the fitting portions 450 h of the second bracket 45 contacts theopposed circumferential side walls of the corresponding one of thelongitudinal grooves 441 a.

The outer tubular portion 450 of the second bracket 45 is inserted intothe inner space 410 of the support shaft 41 together with the innertubular portion 441 of the first bracket 44, which is fitted to theouter tubular portion 450 of the second bracket 45. Here, the fittingportions 450 b of the outer tubular portion 450 of the presentembodiment achieve a high connecting strength by press-fitting thefitting portions 450 b of the outer tubular portion 450 into the supportshaft 41, so that the relative rotation of the support shaft 41 relativeto the second bracket 45 in the circumferential direction is limited. Anengaging claw 450 c is formed in a projecting part of each fittingportion 450 b, which projects from a lower end portion of the supportshaft 41. The engaging claw 450 c engages the lower end portion of thesupport shaft 41 to limit upward displacement of the second bracket 45relative to the support shaft 41.

With the above described structure, the second bracket 45 enables therelative displacement between the press fitted support shaft 41 and thefirst bracket 44 in the axial direction through a change in the fittingposition of the second bracket 45 relative to the longitudinal grooves441 a of the first bracket 44, which is engaged to the inner peripheralsurface 300 a of the opening 300 of the cover member 30. Thereby, therelative positional change of the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60relative to the support shaft 41 in the axial direction is reliablyenabled.

The second bracket 45 limits the relative rotation between the pressfitted support shaft 41 and the first bracket 44 in the circumferentialdirection through the circumferential contact between the second bracket45 and the longitudinal grooves 441 a of the first bracket 44, which isengaged to the cover member 30. Thereby, the relative positional changeof the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 relative to the supportshaft 41 in the circumferential direction is reliably limited.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 7 to 9, the inner tubular portion 451 of thesecond bracket 45, which is inserted into the inner space 410 of thesupport shaft 41 from the lower side of the support shaft 41, radiallyforms a gap 453 having an annular cross section in corporation with thefitting portions 450 b of the second bracket 45 and the rotationlimiting portions 441 b of the first bracket 44, which are located on aradially outer side of the inner tubular portion 451. The resilientmember 43, which is the coil spring, is coaxially received in the gap453. An upper end portion of the resilient member 43 is engaged to theconnecting portion 452 of the second bracket 45, and a lower end portionof the resilient member 43 is engaged to a bottom portion 300 c of theopening 300 of the cover member 30, which is configured into thecup-shaped body, at an outside of the support shaft 41. In this way, theresilient member 43, which is axially interposed between the secondbracket 45 and the cover member 30, exerts the restoring force such thatthe resilient member 43 not only urges the integrated components 20, 30,50, 60 toward the bottom portion 2 c of the fuel tank 2 (i.e., in thedownward direction) but also urges the second bracket 45 in theinserting direction of the second bracket 45 toward the inside of thesupport shaft 41 (i.e., in the upward direction).

The manufacturing of the fuel supply apparatus 1 is performed asfollows. First of all, as shown in FIG. 10A, the support shaft 41 issecurely press fitted into the flange 10. Next, as shown in FIG. 10B,the fitting portions 450 b of the second bracket 45 are axially slidablyfitted into the longitudinal grooves 441 a, respectively, of the firstbracket 44, so that there is formed the intermediate member 42, which isthe assembly of the first and second brackets 44, 45.

Then, as shown in FIG. 10C, the inner tubular portion 441 of the firstbracket 44 and the outer tubular portion 450 of the second bracket 45are inserted into the inner space 410 of the support shaft 41, so thatthe outer tubular portion 450 of the second bracket 45 is connected tothe support shaft 41 (connecting step). At this time, the support shaft41 is rotated in the gaps 443 of the first bracket 44, so that aconnecting angle θ (see FIG. 8) of each of the fitting portions 450 brelative to the support shaft 41 is freely adjusted in thecircumferential direction, and the outer tubular portion 450 of thesecond bracket 45 is press fitted into the support shaft 41 at thisadjusted angle θ.

Then, as shown in FIG. 10D, the resilient member 43 is inserted into thegap 453, which is formed by the second bracket 45 of the intermediatemember 42 in the support shaft 41. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 10E, thecoupling portions 440 b of the outer tubular portion 440 of the firstbracket 44 are coupled to the inner peripheral surface 300 a of theopening 300 of the cover member 30 among the integrated components 20,30, 50, 60 described above, so that the assembling of the adjustingmechanism 40 is completed (coupling step).

Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 andthe adjusting mechanism 40 are inserted into the inside of the fuel tank2, and the flange 10, which is connected to the support shaft 41, isinstalled to the fuel tank 2, so that the assembling of the fuel supplyapparatus 1 is completed (installing step). At this time, a relativeposition of the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60, which is urged bythe resilient member 43, relative to the flange 10 in the axialdirection changes until the sub-tank 20 contacts the bottom portion 2 cof the fuel tank 2. Therefore, the installation position of theintegrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 in the inside of the fuel tank 2can be freely determined regardless of the installation position of theflange 10 by the adjustment of the connecting angle θ in thecircumferential direction and by the positional change of the resilientmember 43 in the axial direction toward the restoring force applicationside (i.e., the side toward which the restoring force of the resilientmember 43 is applied, i.e., exerted). Furthermore, in the case where theamount of press-fitting of the second bracket 45 into the support shaft41 is kept constant through the engagement of the engaging claws 450 cto the support shaft 41 regardless of the depth of the fuel tank 2, thelength of the resilient member 43 can be kept constant by changing onlythe length of the support shaft 41. In this way, the versatility of thefuel supply apparatus 1 can be further improved.

Furthermore, in the fuel supply apparatus 1, which is constructed in theabove-described manner, the relative positional change of the integratedcomponents 20, 30, 50 60 relative to the single support shaft 41 in thecircumferential direction is limited by the intermediate member 42.Therefore, the installation position of the integrated components 20,30, 50, 60 in the inside of the fuel tank 2 is less likely deviated inthe circumferential direction. Particularly, in the fuel supplyapparatus 1, the restoring force of the resilient member 43, which urgesthe second bracket 45 in the press-fitting direction thereof toward theinside of the support shaft 41, can always keep the press-fitted stateof the second bracket 45 and the support shaft 41, which limits therelative rotation between the second bracket 45 and the support shaft41. Thereby, in addition to advantage of the slidably fitting of thefirst and second brackets 44, 45, the relative positional change of theintegrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 relative to the support shaft 41 inthe circumferential direction can be reliably limited. Furthermore, inthe fuel supply apparatus 1, the outer tubular portion 450 of the secondbracket 45 of the intermediate member 42 is press fitted into thesupport shaft 41, so that it is possible to limit the tilting of thesupport shaft 41, which is guided by the intermediate member 42. In thisway, the installation position of the integrated components 20, 30, 50,60, which are connected to the support shaft 41, is stabilized, andthereby it is possible to ensure the required fuel delivery performanceof the pump unit 50 and the required sensing performance of theremaining fuel quantity sensing device 60 in addition to theimplementation of the versatility of the fuel supply apparatus 1discussed above.

Furthermore, in the fuel supply apparatus 1, when the support shaft 41,which is connected to the second bracket 45, is axially displacedrelative to the first bracket 44, the support shaft 41 slides in thegaps 443, which are formed in the first bracket 44. At this time, aslide resistance between the support shaft 41, which is made of themetal material, and the first bracket 44, which is made of the resinmaterial, is small, so that it is possible to limit generation ofnoises, which would be caused by the slide movement between the supportshaft 41 and the first bracket 44. Furthermore, the second bracket 45,the material of which is different from that of the support shaft 41,less likely conducts the vibrations from the pump unit 50, which isurged by the resilient member 43, to the support shaft 41. Thereby, itis possible to limit the generation of annoying noises, which would becaused by conduction of the vibrations of the pump unit 50 to the fueltank 2 through the second bracket 45, the support shaft 41 and theflange 10.

Second Embodiment

A basic structure of a fuel supply apparatus according to a secondembodiment of the present invention will be described.

With reference to FIG. 11, the second embodiment is a modification ofthe first embodiment. The fuel supply apparatus 1001 of the secondembodiment includes a flange 1010, a sub-tank 1020, a pump bracket 1030,an adjusting mechanism 1040, a pump unit 1050, a pressure regulator 1054and a remaining fuel quantity sensing device 1060. The above-describedcomponents 1020, 1030, 1040, 1050, 1054, 1060 of the fuel supplyapparatus 1001 other than the flange 1010 are placed in a predeterminedlocation in the fuel tank 2. A top-to-bottom direction of FIG. 11substantially coincides with a vertical direction of the vehicle, whichis parked on the horizontal ground (horizontal plane).

With reference to FIGS. 11 to 13, the flange 1010, which is made of theresin material and is configured into a circular disk body, has a returnconduit 1013 in addition to the fuel supply conduit 11 and the electricconnector 12 discussed in the first embodiment. The return conduit 1013returns a branched flow of fuel. Specifically, the fuel, which isdischarged from the pump unit 1050 and is supplied to the outside of thefuel tank 2 through the fuel supply conduit 11, is branched through afuel filter placed at the outside of the fuel tank 2, and this branchedflow of the fuel is returned to the inside of the fuel tank 2 throughthe return conduit 1013.

As shown in FIG. 11, the sub-tank 1020, which is made of a resinmaterial and is configured into a cup-shaped body (a cylindrical tubularbody with a closed bottom), is not integrated with the pump unit 1050and is fixed on the bottom portion 2 c of the fuel tank 2. In place ofthe jet pump 21 of the first embodiment, a fuel passage 1022 is formedat a bottom portion 1020 a of the sub-tank 1020 to permit a flow of thefuel from the inside of the fuel tank 2 into the sub-tank 1020 throughthe fuel passage 1022. The sub-tank 1020 stores the fuel, which issupplied to the sub-tank 1020 in the above-described manner.

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 13, the pump bracket 1030, which is made of aresin material, is connected to the flange 1010 through the adjustingmechanism 1040. In this connected state, the pump bracket 1030 holds theremaining fuel quantity sensing device 1060 and the pump unit 1050 inthe inside of the fuel tank 2.

The adjusting mechanism 1040 includes a support shaft 1041, anintermediate member 1042 and a resilient member 1043. As shown in FIG.13, the support shaft 1041, which is made of a metal material and isconfigured into a cylindrical tubular body, defines a return passage1047 therein to conduct the fuel therethrough. The support shaft 1041 issecurely press fitted into the flange 1010 such that the support shaft1041 is generally coaxial with a downstream end portion of the returnconduit 1013. In this way, the branched flow of the fuel, which isdivided at the outside of the fuel tank 2, flows into the return passage1047 through the return conduit 1013. The support shaft 1041 isconnected to the pump bracket 1030, the pump unit 1050 and the remainingfuel quantity sensing device 1060, which are integrated together andwill be hereinafter simply referred to as integrated components 1030,1050, 1060, through the intermediate member 1042. Thereby, even in thesecond embodiment, the flange 1010 is connected to the integratedcomponents 1030, 1050, 100 through the single support shaft 1041.

The intermediate member 1042, which is made of a resin material and isconfigured into a cylindrical tubular body, defines a communicationpassage 1048 therein. The intermediate member 1042 is installed to thesupport shaft 1041 such that the intermediate member 1042 is generallycoaxial with the support shaft 1041. In this way, the branched flow ofthe fuel, which is divided at the outside of the fuel tank 2, flowsthrough the return passage 1047 and then the communication passage 1048that is placed at an outlet 1047 a of the return passage 1047. Theintermediate member 1042 is also installed to the pump bracket 1030, sothat the intermediate member 1042 enables a relative positional changebetween the support shaft 1041 and the integrated components 1030, 1050,1060 in the axial direction of the support shaft 1041 and limits arelative positional change between the support shaft 1041 and theintegrated components 1030, 1050, 1060 in the circumferential directionof the support shaft 1041.

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 13, the resilient member 1043, which is a coilspring in this embodiment, is placed radially outward of the supportshaft 1041 such that the resilient member 1043 is generally coaxial withthe support shaft 1041 and is interposed between the flange 1010 and thepump bracket 1030. The resilient member 1043 exerts a restoring force inthe axial direction of the support shaft 1041 to urge the integratedcomponents 1030, 1050, 1060 toward the bottom portion 2 c of the fueltank 2, so that a suction filter 1051 of the pump unit 1050 alwayscontacts the bottom portion 2 c of the fuel tank 2. In the secondembodiment, the functions of the resilient member 1043 and of theintermediate member 1042 enable the stabilization of the positioning ofthe integrated components 1030, 1050, 1060 in the fuel tank 2.

As shown in FIG. 11, a lower portion of the pump unit 1050, which isconnected to the pump bracket 1030 through snap-fitting, is received inthe inside of the sub-tank 1020, and an upper portion of the pump unit1050 projects to the outside of the sub-tank 1020. The pump unit 1050includes the suction filter 1051 and a fuel pump 1052.

The suction filter 1051, which is located at a lowermost portion of thepump unit 1050, is placed on the bottom portion 1020 a of the sub-tank1020. The suction filter 1051 is connected to a fuel inlet 1052 a of thefuel pump 1052 and filters relatively large foreign objects (debris)contained in the fuel, which is drawn by the fuel pump 1052 from thesub-tank 1020. The fuel pump 1052 is placed on an upper side of thesuction filter 1051 and has the fuel inlet 1052 a and a fuel outlet 1052b, which are directed downward and upward, respectively. The fuel pump1052 draws the fuel from the sub-tank 1020 through the suction filter1051 and the fuel inlet 1052 a of the fuel pump 1052 upon rotation of anelectric motor (not shown) of the fuel pump 1052, which is received in ahousing of the fuel pump 1052. Then, the fuel pump 1052 pressurizes thedrawn fuel and discharges the pressurized fuel toward the fuel supplyconduit 11, which is connected to the fuel outlet 1052 b of the fuelpump 1052.

In the second embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 13, the pressureregulator 1054 is provided separately from the pump unit 1050, and thepressure regulator 1054 is installed to the intermediate member 1042 byusing a fixture member 1054 a. When the pressure regulator 1054 isreceived in the communication passage 1048; which is formed as an insidespace by the intermediate member 1042, the pressure regulator 1054 isplaced at the outlet 1047 a of the return passage 1047. The pressureregulator 1054 adjusts the pressure of the branched flow of the fuel,which flows from the return passage 1047 to the communication passage1048, so that the pressure of the main flow of the fuel, i.e., thepressure of the fuel discharged from the pump unit 1050 to the fuelsupply conduit 11 located at the outside of the fuel tank 2, isadjusted. The pressure regulator 1054 of the second embodiment outputsexcessive fuel, which becomes excessive at the time of adjusting thepressure in the pressure regulator 1054, to the inside of the sub-tank1020.

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 13, the remaining fuel quantity sensing device160 is held on the pump bracket 1030 and is placed at the outside of thesub-tank 1020. The remaining fuel quantity sensing device 1060 is alsoformed as a sender gauge, which senses a quantity of the remaining fuelin the fuel tank 2 with the float 61 and the arm 62 in a manner similarto that of the first embodiment.

Now, a characteristic structure of the fuel supply apparatus 1001 of thesecond embodiment will be described. In the following description, thecircumferential direction of the support shaft 1041 will be also simplyreferred to as the circumferential direction, and the axial direction ofthe support shaft 1041 will be also simply referred to as the axialdirection.

As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the intermediate member 1042 of theadjusting mechanism 1040 includes two coupling portions 1042 a at twocircumferential locations, respectively. The coupling portions 1042 aare engaged to and are thereby coupled to an inner peripheral surface1300 a of an opening 1300 of the pump bracket 1030 (serving as a holdingmember), in which the support shaft 1041 is loosely inserted in agenerally coaxial manner. In the present embodiment, the couplingportions 1042 a are configured to be planar portions, which aregenerally parallel to each other and extend in the axial direction ofthe support shaft 1041. Thereby, the coupling portions 1042 a form adouble sided portion, in which two planar sections are diametricallyopposed each other. Two planar portions 1300 b are formed in the innerperipheral surface 1300 a of the opening 1300 such that the planarportions 1300 b are generally parallel to each other and extend in theaxial direction of the support shaft 1041. The planar portions 1300 bare engaged with the coupling portions 1042 a, respectively, to make asurface-to-surface contact with the coupling portions 1042 a,respectively. Through the surface-to-surface contact between each planarportion 1300 b and the corresponding coupling portion 1042 a, therelative axial displacement between the pump bracket 1030 and theintermediate member 1042 is enabled, and the relative circumferentialrotation between the pump bracket 1030 and the intermediate member 1042is limited.

As shown in FIG. 13, the support shaft 1041 is inserted into theintermediate member 1042 such that the support shaft 1041 is generallycoaxial with the intermediate member 1042. The support shaft 1041 ispress fitted into and is thereby connected to the intermediate member1042, and thereby the intermediate member 1042 achieves a highconnecting strength relative to the support shaft 1041. Thus, therelative rotation of the support shaft 1041 relative to the intermediatemember 1042 in the circumferential direction is limited. Furthermore, aplurality of axial ridges 1049 is formed in an inner peripheral surfaceof the intermediate member 1042 such that the axial ridges 1049 arearranged one after another in the circumferential direction and projectradially inwardly. When the ridges 1049 of the intermediate member 1042are engaged with a lower end portion of the support shaft 1041, arelative displacement between the intermediate member 1042 and thesupport shaft 41 in the axial direction is limited.

Thereby, the intermediate member 1042 enables the axial relativedisplacement between the press fitted support shaft 1041 and the pumpbracket 1030 by axially changing the engaging position of the couplingportions 1042 a of the intermediate member 1042 relative to the planarportions 1300 b of the pump bracket 1030. Thereby, the relativepositional change of the integrated components 1030, 1050, 1060 relativeto the support shaft 1041 in the axial direction is reliably enabled.

Furthermore, the coupling portions 1042 a of the intermediate member1042 make the surface-to-surface contact relative to the planar portions1300 b of the pump bracket 1030 in the circumferential direction, sothat the relative rotation between the press fitted support shaft 1041and the pump bracket 1030 in the circumferential direction is limited.Thereby, the relative positional change of the integrated components1030, 1050, 1060 relative to the support shaft 1041 in thecircumferential direction is reliably limited.

The manufacturing of the fuel supply apparatus 1001 is performed asfollows. First of all, as shown in FIG. 15A, the support shaft 1041 issecurely press fitted into the flange 1010. Next, as shown in FIG. 15B,the support shaft 1041 is inserted into the radially inner space of theresilient member 1043.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 15C, the support shaft 1041 is insertedinto the opening 1300 of the pump bracket 1030. Then, the support shaft1041 is inserted into and is thereby connected to the intermediatemember 1042 (connecting step). At this time, the support shaft 1041,which is loosely received in the opening 1300 of the pump bracket 1030,is rotated, so that the connecting angle θ (not shown) between theintermediate member 1042 and the support shaft 41 in the circumferentialdirection is freely adjusted to a desired angle. Then, at this adjustedconnecting angle θ, the support shaft 1041 is press fitted into theintermediate member 1042. Also, as shown in FIG. 15C, the couplingportions 1042 a of the intermediate member 1042 are coupled to theplanar portions 1300 b of the inner peripheral surface 1300 a of theopening 1300 of the pump bracket 1030 (coupling step). Through theconnecting step and the coupling step, the assembling of the adjustingmechanism 1040 is completed. Here, for example, when the connecting stepand the coupling step are simultaneously executed, the support shaft1041 can be easily press fitted into the intermediate member 1042, towhich the pump bracket 1030 is engaged upon engaging the couplingportions 1042 a to the inner peripheral surface 1300 a, morespecifically the planar portions 1300 b.

Then, as shown in FIG. 15D, the pressure regulator 1054 is inserted intothe intermediate member 1042, and the fixture member 1054 a is installedover pressure regulator 1054 to fix the pressure regulator 1054 to theintermediate member 1042. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 15E, the pumpunit 1050 is installed to the pump bracket 1030, and the remaining fuelquantity sensing device 1060 (not depicted in FIG. 15E) is installed tothe pump bracket 1030.

Then, as shown in FIG. 11, the integrated components 1030, 1050, 1060and the adjusting mechanism 1040 are inserted into the inside of thefuel tank 2, to which the sub-tank 1020 is fixed, and the flange 1010,which is connected to the support shaft 1041, is installed to the fueltank 2, so that the assembling of the fuel supply apparatus 1001 iscompleted (installing step). At this time, a relative position of theintegrated components 1030, 1050, 1060, which are urged downward by theresilient member 1043, relative to the flange 1010 in the axialdirection changes until the suction filter 1051 contacts the sub-tank1020 placed on the bottom portion 2 c of the fuel tank 2. Therefore, theinstallation position of the integrated components 1030, 1050, 1060 inthe inside of the fuel tank 2 can be freely determined regardless of theinstallation position of the flange 10 by the adjustment of theconnecting angle θ in the circumferential direction and by thepositional change of the resilient member 1043 in the axial directiontoward the restoring force application side. In this way, theversatility of the fuel supply apparatus 1001 can be further improved.

Furthermore, in the fuel supply apparatus 1001, which is constructed inthe above-described manner, the relative positional change of theintegrated components 1030, 1050, 1060 relative to the single supportshaft 1041 in the circumferential direction is limited by theintermediate member 1042. Therefore, the installation position of theintegrated components 1030, 1050, 1060 in the inside of the fuel tank 2is less likely deviated in the circumferential direction after theinstallation thereof. Particularly, in the fuel supply apparatus 1001,due to the surface-to-surface contact of the intermediate member 1042discussed above, the relative positional change of the integratedcomponents 1030, 1050, 1060 relative to the support shaft 1041 in thecircumferential direction is reliably limited. Thus, in the fuel supplyapparatus 1001, the installation position of the integrated components1030, 1050, 1060 is stabilized, and thereby it is possible to ensure therequired fuel delivery performance of the pump unit 1050 and therequired sensing performance of the remaining fuel quantity sensingdevice 1060 in addition to the implementation of the versatility of thefuel supply apparatus 1001.

In addition, in the fuel supply apparatus 1001, the intermediate member1042 is configured into the hollow cylindrical tubular body, and thepressure regulator 1054 is received in the inside of the intermediatemember 1042. In this way, the fuel storage space in the fuel tank 2 canbe further increased by the amount, which corresponds to theinstallation volume of the pressure regulator 1054 in the intermediatemember 1042.

Third Embodiment

Now, a characteristic structure of a fuel supply apparatus according toa third embodiment of the present invention will be described withreference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the third embodiment is a modification ofthe second embodiment. That is, according to the third embodiment, aring spacer 1070 is added to the fuel supply apparatus of the secondembodiment.

Specifically, the support shaft 1041 of the third embodiment islengthened in the axial direction in comparison to that of the secondembodiment to correspond with a change in the depth of the fuel tank 2.Because of this change, the ring spacer 1070, which is made of a resinmaterial and is configured into a cylindrical tubular body, isinterposed between the flange 1010 and the resilient member 1043 in theaxial direction, which coincides with the installation direction of thesupport shaft 1041 to the flange 1010. Thereby, when the axial thickness(axial extent) of the ring spacer 1070 is adjusted based on the depth ofthe fuel tank 2, it is only required to change the length of the supportshaft 1041 based on the depth of the fuel tank 2, and thereby it ispossible to use the resilient member 1043 of the same length (commonlength). Thus, the versatility of the fuel supply apparatus can befurther improved.

Fourth Embodiment

Now, a characteristic structure of a fuel supply apparatus according toa fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described withreference to the accompanying drawings.

With reference to FIGS. 18 to 21, the fourth embodiment is amodification of the first embodiment. In an adjusting mechanism 2040 ofthe fourth embodiment, a support shaft 2041, which is made of a metalmaterial and is securely press fitted into the flange 10, has a centerhole 2411 that has a polygonal cross section (polygonal shape), morespecifically a hexagonal cross section (hexagonal shape) in an axialview thereof, and the center hole 2411 forms the inner space 410. In thefollowing description, the circumferential direction of the supportshaft 2041 will be also simply referred to as the circumferentialdirection, and the axial direction of the support shaft 2041 will bealso simply referred to as the axial direction.

In the adjusting mechanism 2040, as shown in FIGS. 18 and 21, a firstbracket 2044, which is made of a resin material and is a component of anintermediate member 2042, is configured as a cup-shaped body and isformed integrally as one piece with a corresponding portion of the covermember 30, which forms the opening 300. Thereby, the first bracket 2044has a coupling portion 2044 b, which is formed integrally with and isthereby coupled to the upper portion of the cover member 30. Thus, thecover member 30, which is formed integrally with the first bracket 2044,limits a relative positional change between the first bracket 2044 andthe cover member 30 in both of the axial direction and thecircumferential direction, i.e., limits both of relative axialdisplacement between the first bracket 2044 and the cover member 30 andthe relative circumferential rotation between the first bracket 2044 andthe cover member 30.

The first bracket 2044 receives the support shaft 2041, which is placedcoaxially with the support shaft 2041, such that the support shaft 2041is rotatable relative to the first bracket 2044 in the circumferentialdirection. The first bracket 2044, which surrounds the support shaft2041, has two longitudinal grooves 2044 a, which are formed at twocircumferential locations, respectively, of the first bracket 2044 andextend in the axial direction.

In the adjusting mechanism 2040, a second bracket 2045, which is made ofa resin material and cooperates with the first bracket 2044 to form theintermediate member 2042, is placed radially inward of the first bracket2044. As shown in FIGS. 18 to 20, a main body 2450 of the second bracket2045, which is placed coaxially with the support shaft 2041, has anouter peripheral surface 2450 a, which has a polygonal cross section(polygonal shape), more specifically a hexagonal cross section(hexagonal shape) in the axial view. When the outer peripheral surface2450 a of the main body 2450 of the second bracket 2045 is fitted intothe center hole 2411 from the lower side thereof, relative rotation ofthe support shaft 2041 in the circumferential direction is limited bythe second bracket 2045. An engaging portion 2450 c, which is configuredas a flange, is formed in a lower end portion of the main body 2450 ofthe second bracket 2045. The engaging portion 2450 c is engaged with alower end portion of the support shaft 2041 from a lower side thereof tolimit upward displacement of the second bracket 2045 relative to thesupport shaft 2041.

Two fitting portions 2450 b are formed in the second bracket 2045 at twocircumferential locations, respectively, which are diametrically opposedto each other. Each fitting portion 2450 b has a U-shaped cross sectionand projects from the lower end portion of the main body 2450 in thedownward direction. As shown in FIGS. 18 and 21, each fitting portion2450 b is axially slidably fitted into a corresponding one of thelongitudinal grooves 2044 a of the first bracket 2044. With the axialslide fitting of the fitting portions 2450 b into the longitudinalgrooves 2044 a, respectively, the second bracket 2045 is connected tothe first bracket 2044 such that the first bracket 2044 and the secondbracket 2045 are displaceable relative to each other in the axialdirection, along which each longitudinal groove 2044 a extends, but arenot displaceable relative to each other in the circumferentialdirection, in which each of the fitting portions 2450 b of the secondbracket 2045 contacts circumferentially opposed sides of thecorresponding one of the longitudinal grooves 2044 a. Furthermore, inthe present embodiment, the first bracket 2044 has two removal limitingportions 2044 d, which radially inwardly project from twocircumferential locations, respectively, of the first bracket 2044.Upper ends of the fitting portions 2450 b contact the removal limitingportions 2044 d, so that the removal of the second bracket 2045 from thefirst bracket 2044 is limited.

With the above described construction, it is possible to make a changein the fitting position between the longitudinal grooves 2044 a of thefirst bracket 2044, which is formed integrally with the cover member 30,and the fitting portions 2450 b of the second bracket 2045, which isconnected to the support shaft 2041, and thereby it is possible to makerelative displacement between the first bracket 2044 and the supportshaft 2041 in the axial direction. Thereby, the relative positionalchange of the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 relative to thesupport shaft 2041 in the axial direction is reliably enabled.

In contrast, the circumferential contact between each of thelongitudinal grooves 2044 a of the first bracket 2044, which is formedintegrally with the cover member 30, and the corresponding one of thefitting portions 2450 b of the second bracket 2045, which is connectedto the support shaft 2041, limits the relative rotation between thefirst bracket 2044 and the support shaft 2041. Thereby, the relativepositional change of the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 relativeto the support shaft 2041 in the circumferential direction is reliablylimited.

Furthermore, in the fourth embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 18, 19 and 21,the resilient member 43 is coaxially received in the main body 2450 ofthe second bracket 2045 at radially inward of the main body 2450 of thesecond bracket 2045 such that the resilient member 43 projects downwardthrough a gap between the fitting portions 2450 b of the second bracket2045. An upper end portion of the resilient member 43 is engaged with atop wall portion 2452 of the main body 2450 of the second bracket 2045.A lower end portion of the resilient member 43 is engage with a bottomportion 300 c of the cover member 3D, which is formed by the firstbracket 2044 at the outside of the support shaft 2041. In this way, theresilient member 43, which is axially interposed between the secondbracket 2045 and the cover member 30, exerts the restoring force suchthat the resilient member 43 not only urges the integrated components20, 30, 50, 60 toward the bottom portion 2 c of the fuel tank 2 (i.e.,in the downward direction) but also urges the second bracket 2045 in theinserting direction of the second bracket 2045 toward the inside of thesupport shaft 2041 (i.e., in the upward direction).

The manufacturing of the fuel supply apparatus 2001 of the fourthembodiment is performed as follows. First of all, as shown in FIG. 22A,the support shaft 2041 is securely press fitted into the flange 10.Next, as shown in FIG. 22B, the main body 2450 of the second bracket2045 is fitted into and is connected to the center hole 2411 of thesupport shaft 2041 (connecting step). At this time, the second bracket2045, which is placed coaxially with the support shaft 2041, is rotatedrelative to the support shaft 2041 to adjust the connecting angle θ (seeFIG. 19) of the main body 2450 relative to the center hole 2411 by 60degree span, i.e., by 60 degree increment/decrement (one of first tosixth 60 degree increments/decrements) in the circumferential direction,and then the main body 2450 is fitted into the center hole 2411 at theadjusted angle θ.

Next, as shown in FIG. 22C, the resilient member 43 is inserted into themain body 2450 of the second bracket 2045. Then, as shown in FIG. 220,the fitting portions 2450 b of the second bracket 2045 are axiallyslidably fitted into the longitudinal grooves 2044 a, respectively, ofthe first bracket 2044, so that there is formed the intermediate member2042, which is the assembly of the first and second brackets 2044, 2045.The first bracket 2044 of the present embodiment is coupled to the covermember 30 at an integrally molding step (coupling step), which isexecuted prior to the step of FIG. 22A to integrally mold the firstbracket 2044 with the cover member 30, so that the manufacturing of theadjusting mechanism 2040 is completed upon the assembling of theintermediate member 2042, as shown in FIG. 22E.

Then, the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 and the adjustingmechanism 2040 are inserted into the fuel tank 2, and the flange 10,which is connected to the support shaft 2041, is installed to the fueltank 2, so that the manufacturing of the fuel supply apparatus 2001 iscompleted (installing step). At this time, a relative position of theintegrated components 20, 30, 50, 60, which is urged by the resilientmember 43, relative to the flange 10 in the axial direction changesuntil the sub-tank 20 contacts the bottom portion 2 c of the fuel tank2. Therefore, the installation position of the integrated components 20,30, 50, 60 in the inside of the fuel tank 2 can be determined regardlessof the installation position of the flange 10 by the adjustment of theconnecting angle θ in the circumferential direction and by thepositional change of the resilient member 43 in the axial directiontoward the restoring force application side. Furthermore, in the casewhere the amount of fitting of the second bracket 2045 to the supportshaft 2041 is kept constant by the engagement of the engaging portion2450 c to the support shaft 2041, the length of the resilient member 43can be kept constant by changing only the length of the support shaft2041. In this way, the versatility of the fuel supply apparatus 2001 canbe further improved.

Furthermore, in the fuel supply apparatus 2001, which is constructed inthe above-described manner, the relative positional change of theintegrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 relative to the single supportshaft 2041 in the circumferential direction is limited by theintermediate member 2042. Therefore, the installation position of theintegrated components 30, 50, 60 in the inside of the fuel tank 2 isless likely deviated in the circumferential direction after theinstallation thereof. Particularly, in the fuel supply apparatus 2001,the restoring force of the resilient member 43, which urges the secondbracket 2045 in the press-fitting direction thereof toward the inside ofthe support shaft 2041, can always keep the fitted state of the secondbracket 2045 and the support shaft 2041, which limits the relativerotation between the second bracket 2045 and the support shaft 2041.Thereby, in addition to the advantage of the slidably filling of thefirst and second brackets 2044, 2045, the relative positional change ofthe integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 relative to the support shaft2041 in the circumferential direction can be reliably limited.Furthermore, in the fuel supply apparatus 2001, the main body 2450 ofthe second bracket 2045 of the intermediate member 2042 is fitted intothe center hole 2411 of the support shaft 2041, so that it is possibleto limit the tilting of the support shaft 2041, which is guided by theintermediate member 2042. In this way, the installation position of theintegrated components 20, 30, 50, 60, which are connected to the supportshaft 2041, is stabilized, and thereby it is possible to ensure therequired fuel delivery performance of the pump unit 50 and the requiredsensing performance of the remaining fuel quantity sensing delive 60 inaddition to the implementation of the versatility of the fuel supplyapparatus 2001 discussed above.

Furthermore, even in the fuel supply apparatus 2001, the support shaft2041, which is made of the metal material, and the intermediate member2042, which includes the second bracket 2045 made of the resin material,are provided. Therefore, in a manner similar to that of the firstembodiment, it is possible to limit generation of noises.

Fifth Embodiment

Now, a characteristic structure of a fuel supply apparatus according toa fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described withreference to the accompanying drawings.

With reference to FIGS. 23 to 25, the fifth embodiment is a modificationof the fourth embodiment. A second bracket 2045 of the fifth embodimentincludes two projecting claws 2450 d, which radially outwardly projectfrom the fitting portions 2450 b, respectively. The projecting claws2450 d of the second bracket 2045 contact the removal limiting portions2044 d, respectively, of the first bracket 2044, so that removal of thesecond bracket 2045 from the first bracket 2044 is limited. Even in thefifth embodiment, the fuel supply apparatus 200 t which is formed in amanner similar to that of the fourth embodiment, can achieve theadvantages similar to those of the fourth embodiment.

Sixth Embodiment

Now, a characteristic structure of a fuel supply apparatus according toa sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described withreference to the accompanying drawings.

With reference to FIGS. 26 to 28, the sixth embodiment is a modificationof the first embodiment. In the adjusting mechanism 3040 of the sixthembodiment, an intermediate member 3042 includes three brackets, i.e., afirst bracket 3044, a second bracket 3045 and a third bracket 3046.

The first bracket 3044, which connects between the support shaft 41 andthe integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60, includes two coupling portions3440 b that are provided at two circumferential locations, respectively,each of which is circumferentially placed between the longitudinalgrooves 440 a of the outer tubular portion 440 of the first bracket 3044shown in FIGS. 27-30. Two engaging claws 3300 b are provided at twocircumferential locations, respectively, of the corresponding portion ofthe cover member 30, which surrounds the opening 300 of the cover member30. As shown in FIGS. 27 and 29, the engaging claws 3300 b of the covermember 30 are press fitted into and are thereby engaged with theengaging holes 3440 c, respectively, of the coupling portions 3440 b ofthe first bracket 3044, so that the coupling portions 3440 b are coupledto the cover member 30. Thus, the cover member 30 limits a relativepositional change between the first bracket 3044 and the cover member 30in both of the axial direction and the circumferential direction, i.e.,limits both of the relative axial displacement between the first bracket3044 and the cover member 30 and the relative circumferential rotationbetween the first bracket 3044 and the cover member 30. The structure ofthe first bracket 3044 of the sixth embodiment is similar to that of thefirst bracket 44 of the first embodiment except the above describedpoints.

In the second bracket 3045, which connects between the support shaft 41and the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 in corporation with thefirst bracket 3044, as shown in FIGS. 26, 28 and 30, the outer tubularportion 450, which is fitted into the support shaft 41, has the fittingportions 450 b, which are placed one after another at the equalintervals in the circumferential direction, and each of the fittingportions 450 b has a connecting hole 3450 e. As shown in FIGS. 26 and28, the support shaft 41 includes two connecting claws 3412, which areprovided at two circumferential locations, respectively, of the supportshaft 41 and project radially inward. The connecting claws 3412 of thesupport shaft 41 are snap fitted into the connecting holes 3450 e,respectively, of the fitting portions 450 b of the second bracket 3045,so that the fitting portions 450 b are connected to the support shaft41. Thus, the support shaft 41 is positioned relative to the secondbracket 3045, and the relative circumferential rotation between thesecond bracket 3045 and the support shaft 41 and the relative axialdisplacement between the second bracket 3045 and the support shaft 41are both limited. The structure of the second bracket 3045 of the sixthembodiment is similar to that of the second bracket 45 of the firstembodiment except the above described points.

In contrast to the first and second brackets 3044, 3045, with referenceto FIGS. 26 and 27, the third bracket 3046, which connects between thesupport shaft 41 and the flange 10, is configured into a quadruplecylindrical tubular body (i.e., a body having four cylindrical tubularportions, which are arranged one after another in a radial directionthereof), which is placed coaxially with the support shaft 41 and theflange 10. A radially innermost connecting tubular portion 3460 of thethird bracket 3046 is fitted coaxially into an inner tubular portion3101 of a connecting portion 3100 that is formed as a double cylindricaltubular body (i.e., a body having two cylindrical tubular portions,which are arranged one after another in a radial direction thereof) andprojects downwardly from the flange 10.

As shown in FIGS. 26, 28 and 31A, a rotation-limiting inner tubularportion 3461 of the third bracket 3046, which is placed on a radiallyouter side of the connecting tubular portion 3460, has two connectinggrooves 3461 a, which are provided at two circumferential locations,respectively, and extend in the axial direction. A gap 3463 is formed inthe third bracket 3046 at a radial location between therotation-limiting inner tubular portion 3461 and a connecting outertubular portion 3462, which is located on a radially outer side of therotation-limiting tubular portion 3461, and the upper end portion of thesupport shaft 41 is received in the gap 3463. The connecting claws 3413,which radially inwardly project, are formed at two circumferentiallocations, respectively, in the upper end portion of the support shaft41. These connecting claws 3413 are engaged with the inner tubularportion 3101 of the flange 10 through the connecting grooves 3461 a,respectively. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 26, 27 and 31B, a pluralityof slits 3101 b, which are arranged one after another at generally equalintervals in the circumferential direction, is formed in the innertubular portion 3101 to divided the inner tubular portion 3101 into aplurality of sections, each of which is provided with a hook portion3101 a at a distal end portion thereof. The connecting claws 3413 aresnap fitted to corresponding two, respectively, of the hook portions3101 a to implement engagement therebetween (as best seen in FIG. 26).Thus, the support shaft 41 is positioned relative to the third bracket3046, and the relative circumferential rotation between the thirdbracket 3046 and the support shaft 41 and the relative axialdisplacement between the third bracket 3046 and the support shaft 41 areboth limited.

An outer tubular portion 3102 of the connecting portion 3100 configuredinto the double tubular body in the flange 10 is fitted coaxially into agap 3465 between the connecting outer tubular portion 3462 and arotation-limiting outer tubular portion 3464, which is located on aradially outer side of the connecting outer tubular portion 3462 in thethird bracket 3046. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 27, 28 and 31A, fourconnecting claws 3464 a are formed at four circumferential locations,respectively, of the rotation-limiting outer tubular portion 3464 toradially inwardly project. These connecting against claws 3464 a areurged against and contact the outer tubular portion 3102 of the flange10. Through this urged contact between the connecting claws 3464 a andthe outer tubular portion 3102 of the flange 10 and the engagement ofthe connecting claws 3413 to the hook portions 3101 a through theconnecting grooves 3461 a, the flange 10 is positioned relative to thethird bracket 3046, so that the relative circumferential rotationbetween the third bracket 3046 and the flange 10 and the relative axialdisplacement between the third bracket 3046 and the flange 10 arelimited.

With the above described construction, it is possible to make a changein the fitting position between the longitudinal grooves 441 a of thefirst bracket 3044, which is engaged with the cover member 30, and thefitting portions 450 b of the second bracket 3045, which is positionedrelative to the support shaft 41, and thereby it is possible to makerelative displacement between the first bracket 3044 and the supportshaft 41 in the axial direction. Here, the support shaft 41 and theflange 10 are positioned relative to the third bracket 3046 in the axialdirection. Thereby, the relative positional change of the integratedcomponents 20, 30, 50, 60 relative to the support shaft 41 and theflange 10 in the axial direction is reliably enabled.

In contrast, the circumferential contact between each of thelongitudinal grooves 441 a of the first bracket 3044, which is engagedwith the cover member 30, and the corresponding one of the fittingportions 450 b of the second bracket 3045, which is positioned relativeto the support shaft 41, limits the relative rotation between the firstbracket 3044 and the support shaft 41. Here, the support shaft 41 andthe flange 10 are positioned relative to the third bracket 3046 in thecircumferential direction. Thereby, the relative positional change ofthe integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 relative to the support shaft41 and the flange 10 in the circumferential direction is reliablylimited.

The manufacturing of the fuel supply apparatus 3001 is performed asfollows. First of all, as shown in FIG. 32A, the flange 10 and thesupport shaft 41 are positioned relative to and are connected to thethird bracket 3046 (connecting step). At this time, the third bracket3046, which is connected to the support shaft 41, is rotated relative tothe flange 10, so that a coupling angle φ (see FIG. 29) between theflange 10 and the support shaft 41 through the third bracket 3046 isfreely adjusted in the circumferential direction, and then the flange 10and the support shaft 41 are connected together at this adjusted angle φthrough the third bracket 3046.

Next, as shown in FIG. 32B, the fitting portions 450 b of the secondbracket 3045 are axially slidably fitted into the longitudinal grooves441 a, respectively, of the first bracket 3044. Then, as shown in FIG.32C, the inner tubular portion 441 of the first bracket 3044 and theouter tubular portion 450 of the second bracket 3045 are inserted intothe support shaft 41, so that the outer tubular portion 450 of thesecond bracket 3045 is connected to the support shaft 41 (connectingstep). At this time, the support shaft 41 is rotated to adjust theconnecting angle θ (see FIG. 30) of the second bracket 3045, which isconnected to the first bracket 3044, relative to the support shaft 41 by180 degree span, i.e., by 180 degree increment/decrement in thecircumferential direction, and then the second bracket 3045 is connectedto the support shaft 41 at this adjusted angle θ.

Then, as shown in FIG. 320, the resilient member 43 is inserted into thegap 453, which is formed by the second bracket 3045 in the inside of thesupport shaft 41. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 32E, the couplingportions 3440 b, which are formed in the outer tubular portion 440 ofthe first bracket 3044, are coupled to the cover member 30 among theintegrated components 20, 30, 50, 60, so that the assembling of theadjusting mechanism 3040 is completed as shown in FIG. 32F (couplingstep).

Then, the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 and the adjustingmechanism 3040 are inserted into the fuel tank 2, and the flange 10,which is connected to the support shaft 41, is installed to the fueltank 2, so that the manufacturing of the fuel supply apparatus 3001 iscompleted (installing step). At this time, a relative position of theintegrated components 20, 30, 50, 60, which is urged by the resilientmember 43, relative to the flange 10 in the axial direction changesuntil the sub-tank 20 contacts the bottom portion 2 c of the fuel tank2. Therefore, the installation position of the integrated components 20,30, 50, 60 in the inside of the fuel tank 2 can be determined regardlessof the installation position of the flange 10 by the adjustment of thecoupling angle cp and the connecting angle θ in the circumferentialdirection and by the positional change of the resilient member 43 in theaxial direction toward the restoring force application side.Furthermore, in the case where the amount of fitting of the secondbracket 3045 to the support shaft 41 is kept constant by the engagementbetween the connecting holes 3450 e and the connecting claws 3412, thelength of the resilient member 43 can be kept constant by changing onlythe length of the support shaft 41. In this way, the versatility of thefuel supply apparatus 3001 can be further improved.

Furthermore, in the fuel supply apparatus 3001, which is constructed inthe above-described manner, the relative positional change of theintegrated components 20, 30, 50 60 relative to the single support shaft41 in the circumferential direction is limited by the intermediatemember 3042. Therefore, the installation position of the integratedcomponents 20, 30, 50, 60 in the inside of the fuel tank 2 is lesslikely deviated in the circumferential direction. Thereby, the relativepositional change of the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 relativeto the support shaft 41 in the circumferential direction can be reliablylimited. Furthermore, in the fuel supply apparatus 3001, the outertubular portion 450 of the second bracket 3045 of the intermediatemember 3042 is fitted into the support shaft 41, so that it is possibleto limit the tilting of the support shaft 41, which is guided by theouter tubular portion 450. In this way, the installation position of theintegrated components 20, 30, 50, 60, which are connected to the supportshaft 41, is stabilized, and thereby it is possible to ensure therequired fuel delivery performance of the pump unit 50 and the requiredsensing performance of the remaining fuel quantity sensing device 60 inaddition to the implementation of the versatility of the fuel supplyapparatus 3001 discussed above.

Furthermore, even in the fuel supply apparatus 3001, the support shaft41, which is made of the metal material, and the intermediate member3042, which includes the second bracket 3045 made of the resin material,are provided. Therefore, in a manner similar to that of the firstembodiment, it is possible to limit generation of noises.

Seventh Embodiment

Now, a characteristic structure of a fuel supply apparatus according toa seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described withreference to the accompanying drawings.

With reference to FIGS. 33 to 35, the seventh embodiment is amodification of the sixth embodiment. In an adjusting mechanism 4040 ofthe seventh embodiment, a first bracket 4044, which is made of a resinmaterial and is a component of an intermediate member 4042, isconfigured as a cup-shaped body and is formed integrally with acorresponding portion of the cover member 30, which forms the opening300. Thereby, the first bracket 4044 has a coupling portion 4044 b,which is coupled to an upper portion of the cover member 30. Thus, thecover member 30, which is formed integrally with the first bracket 4044,limits a relative positional change between the first bracket 4044 andthe cover member 30 in both of the axial direction and thecircumferential direction, i.e., limits both of relative axialdisplacement between the first bracket 4044 and the cover member 30 andrelative circumferential rotation between the first bracket 4044 and thecover member 30.

The first bracket 4044 receives the support shaft 41, which is placedcoaxially with the support shaft 41, such that the support shaft 41 isrotatable relative to the first bracket 4044 in the circumferentialdirection. The first bracket 4044, which surrounds the support shaft 41,has two longitudinal grooves 4044 a, which are formed at twocircumferential locations, respectively, of the first bracket 4044 andextend in the axial direction.

In the adjusting mechanism 4040, a second bracket 4045, which is made ofa resin material and cooperates with the first bracket 4044 to form theintermediate member 4042, is placed radially inward of the first bracket4044 such that the second bracket 4045 is generally coaxial with thesupport shaft 41. As shown in FIGS. 33, 34, 36 and 37, two connectingclaws 4451 a are formed at two circumferential locations of the innertubular portion 4451 of the second bracket 4045, which is fitted intothe support shaft 41 from the lower side thereof. Two connecting holes4412 are formed at two circumferential locations, respectively, of thesupport shaft 41. The connecting claws 4451 a, which are placed oneafter another at generally equal intervals in the circumferentialdirection, are snap fitted into the connecting holes 4412, respectively,of the support shaft 41, so that the inner tubular portion 4451 and thesupport shaft 41 are connected with each other. Thus, the support shaft41 is positioned relative to the second bracket 4045, and the relativecircumferential rotation between the second bracket 4045 and the supportshaft 41 and the relative axial displacement between the second bracket4045 and the support shaft 41 are both limited.

Two fitting portions 4450 b, which radially outwardly project, areformed at two circumferential locations, respectively, of an outertubular portion 4450 of the second bracket 4045. As shown in FIGS. 33and 34, each fitting portion 4450 b is slidably fitted into acorresponding one of the longitudinal grooves 4044 a of the firstbracket 4044. With the axial slide fitting of the fitting portions 4450b into the longitudinal grooves 4044 a, respectively, the second bracket4045 is connected to the first bracket 4044 such that the first bracket4044 and the second bracket 4045 are displaceable relative to each otherin the axial direction, along which each longitudinal groove 4044 aextends, but are not displaceable relative to each other in thecircumferential direction, in which each of the fitting portions 4450 bof the second bracket 4045 contacts the opposed circumferential sidewalls of the corresponding one of the longitudinal grooves 4044 a.Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, when the outer tubularportion 4450 of the second bracket 4045 contacts a removal limitingportion 4044 d, which is a part of the cover member 30 and is fixed tothe first bracket 4044, removal of the second bracket 4045 from thefirst bracket 4044 is limited.

In the adjusting mechanism 4040, a third bracket 4046, which is made ofa resin material and cooperates with the first and second brackets 4044,4045 to form the intermediate member 4042, is configured into a doublecylindrical tubular body, which is coaxial with the support shaft 41 andthe flange 10, as shown in FIGS. 33 and 34. In the third bracket 4046,two connecting claws 4461 a, which project radially outward, are formedat two circumferential locations, respectively, of an inner tubularportion 4461 of the third bracket 4046, which is fitted into the upperend portion of the support shaft 41. As shown in FIGS. 33 and 34, twoconnecting holes 4413 are formed at two circumferential locations,respectively, of the support shaft 41. The connecting claws 4461 a ofthe inner tubular portion 4461, which are placed one after another atgenerally equal intervals in the circumferential direction, are snapfitted into and are engaged with the connecting holes 4413,respectively, of the support shaft 41, so that the inner tubular portion4461 and the support shaft 41 are connected with each other. Thus, thesupport shaft 41 is positioned relative to the third bracket 4046, andthe relative circumferential rotation between the third bracket 4046 andthe support shaft 41 and the relative axial displacement between thethird bracket 4046 and the support shaft 41 are both limited.

As shown in FIGS. 33, 34 and 38, an outer tubular portion 4464 of thethird bracket 4046 is located on a radially outer side of the innertubular portion 4461 such that the support shaft 41 is held between theinner tubular portion 4461 and the outer tubular portion 4464. The outertubular portion 4464 of the third bracket 4046 is connected coaxially toa cylindrical connecting portion 4100, which projects downward from theflange 10. Here, as shown in FIG. 38, four slits 4100 b are formed inthe connecting portion 4100 at four circumferential locations,respectively, to equally divide the connecting portion 4100 into foursections, each of which is provided with a hook portion 4100 a (see alsoFIG. 34) at a distal end portion thereof to engage with the outertubular portion 4464 of the third bracket 4046. The hook portions 4100 aof the connecting portion 4100 are snap fitted to the outer tubularportion 4464 of the third bracket 4046 to implement the engagementtherebetween. Furthermore, four connecting claws 4464 a (see also FIGS.36 and 37) radially outwardly project at four circumferential locations,respectively, of the outer tubular portion 4464 of the third bracket4046. The connecting claws 4464 a are fitted into the slits 4100 b,respectively, of the connecting portion 4100. Thus, the flange 10 ispositioned relative to the third bracket 4046, and the relativecircumferential rotation between the third bracket 4046 and the flange10 and the relative axial displacement between the third bracket 4046and the flange 10 are both limited.

With the above described construction, it is possible to make a changein the fitting position between the longitudinal grooves 4044 a of thefirst bracket 4044, which is formed integrally with the cover member 30,and the fitting portions 4450 b of the second bracket 4045, which ispositioned relative to the support shaft 41, and thereby it is possibleto make relative displacement between the first bracket 4044 and thesupport shaft 41 in the axial direction. Here, the support shaft 41 andthe flange 10 are positioned relative to the third bracket 4046 in theaxial direction. Thereby, the relative positional change of theintegrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 relative to the support shaft 41and the flange 10 in the axial direction is reliably enabled.

In contrast, the circumferential contact between each of thelongitudinal grooves 4044 a of the first bracket 4044, which is formedintegrally with the cover member 30, and the corresponding one of thefitting portions 4450 b of the second bracket 4045, which is positionedrelative to the support shaft 41, limits the relative rotation betweenthe first bracket 4044 and the support shaft 41. Here, the support shaft41 and the flange 10 are positioned relative to the third bracket 4046in the circumferential direction. Thereby, the relative positionalchange of the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 relative to thesupport shaft 41 and the flange 10 in the circumferential direction isreliably limited.

Furthermore, in the seventh embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 33 to 37, theresilient member 43 is coaxially received at radially inward of theinner tubular portion 4451 of the second bracket 4045. An upper endportion of the resilient member 43 is engaged with a top wall portion4452 of the inner tubular portion 4451 of the second bracket 4045 in theinside of the support shaft 41. A lower end portion of the resilientmember 43 is engage with a bottom portion 300 c of the cover member 30,which is formed by the first bracket 4044 at the outside of the supportshaft 41. In this way, the resilient member 43, which is axiallyinterposed between the second bracket 4045 and the cover member 30,exerts the restoring force such that the resilient member 43 not onlyurges the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 toward the bottom portion2 c of the fuel tank 2 (i.e., in the downward direction) but also urgesthe second bracket 45 in the inserting direction of the second bracket4045 toward the inside of the support shaft 41 (i.e., in the upwarddirection).

The manufacturing of the fuel supply apparatus 4001 is performed asfollows. First of all, as shown in FIG. 39A, the inner tubular portion4451 of the second bracket 4045 is fitted into the support shaft 41, sothat the inner tubular portion 4451 is connected to the support shaft 41(connecting step). At this time, the support shaft 41 is rotated toadjust the connecting angle θ (see FIG. 37) of each connecting claw 4451a of the second bracket 4045 relative to the support shaft 41 by 180degree span, i.e., by 180 degree increment/decrement in thecircumferential direction, and then the second bracket 4045 is connectedto the support shaft 41 at this adjusted angle θ.

Next, as shown in FIG. 39B, the flange 10 and the support shaft 41 arepositioned relative to and are connected to the third bracket 4046(connecting step). At this time, the third bracket 4046, which isconnected to the support shaft 41, is rotated relative to the flange 10,so that a coupling angle φ (see FIG. 38) between the flange 10 and thesupport shaft 41 through the third bracket 4046 is adjusted by 90 degreespan, i.e., by 90 degree increment/decrement in the circumferentialdirection, and then the flange 10 and the support shaft 41 are connectedtogether at this adjusted angle through the third bracket 4046.

Next, as shown in FIG. 39C, the resilient member 43 is inserted into theinner tubular portion 4451 of the second bracket 4045. Next, as shown inFIG. 39D, the fitting portions 4450 b of the second bracket 4045 areaxially slidably fitted into the longitudinal grooves 4044 a,respectively, of the first bracket 4044. The first bracket 4044 of thepresent embodiment is coupled to the cover member 30 at an integrallymolding step (coupling step), which is executed prior to the step ofFIG. 39A to integrally mold the first bracket 4044 with the cover member30, so that the manufacturing of the adjusting mechanism 3040 iscompleted upon the slide fitting of the fitting portions 4450 b of thesecond bracket 4050 into the longitudinal grooves 4044 a, respectively,of the first bracket 4044, as shown in FIG. 39E.

Then, the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 and the adjustingmechanism 4040 are inserted into the fuel tank 2, and the flange 10,which is connected to the support shaft 41, is installed to the fueltank 2, so that the manufacturing of the fuel supply apparatus 4001 iscompleted (installing step). At this time, a relative position of theintegrated components 20, 30, 50, 60, which is urged by the resilientmember 43, relative to the flange 10 in the axial direction, changesuntil the sub-tank 20 contacts the bottom portion 2 c of the fuel tank2. Therefore, the installation position of the integrated components 20,30, 50, 60 in the inside of the fuel tank 2 can be determined regardlessof the installation position of the flange 10 by the adjustment of thecoupling angle φ and the connecting angle θ in the circumferentialdirection and by the positional change of the resilient member 43 in theaxial direction toward the restoring force application side.Furthermore, in the case where the amount of fitting of the secondbracket 4045 to the support shaft 41 is kept constant by the engagementbetween the connecting claws 4451 a and the connecting holes 4412, thelength of the resilient member 43 can be kept constant by changing onlythe length of the support shaft 41. In this way, the versatility of thefuel supply apparatus 4001 can be further improved.

Furthermore, in the fuel supply apparatus 4001, which is constructed inthe above-described manner, the relative positional change of theintegrated components 20, 30, 50 60 relative to the single support shaft41 in the circumferential direction is limited by the intermediatemember 4042. Therefore, the installation position of the integratedcomponents 20, 30, 50, 60 in the inside of the fuel tank 2 is lesslikely deviated in the circumferential direction after the installationthereof. Thereby, the relative positional change of the integratedcomponents 20, 30, 50, 60 relative to the support shaft 41 in thecircumferential direction can be reliably limited. Furthermore, in thefuel supply apparatus 4001, the inner tubular portion 4451 of the secondbracket 4045 of the intermediate member 4042 is fitted into the supportshaft 41, so that it is possible to limit the tilting of the supportshaft 41, which is guided by the outer inner tubular portion 4451. Inthis way, the installation position of the integrated components 20, 30,50, 60, which are connected to the support shaft 41, is stabilized, andthereby it is possible to ensure the required fuel delivery performanceof the pump unit 50 and the required sensing performance of theremaining fuel quantity sensing device 60 in addition to theimplementation of the versatility of the fuel supply apparatus 4001discussed above.

Furthermore, even in the fuel supply apparatus 4001, the support shaft41, which is made of the metal material, and the intermediate member4042, which includes the second bracket 4045 made of the resin material,are provided. Therefore, in a manner similar to that of the firstembodiment, it is possible to limit generation of noises.

Eighth Embodiment

Now, a characteristic structure of a fuel supply apparatus according toan eighth embodiment of the present invention will be described withreference to the accompanying drawings.

With reference to FIGS. 40 and 41, the eighth embodiment is amodification of the seventh embodiment. In the adjusting mechanism 5040of the eighth embodiment, a third bracket 5046, which is made of a metalmaterial and is a component of an intermediate member 5042, is formedintegrally with a cylindrical upper end portion 5414 of the supportshaft 41. Thereby, the third bracket 5046 is connected to the supportshaft 41 in a positioned state, in which the third bracket 5046 ispositioned relative to the support shaft 41.

The third bracket 5046 is connected coaxially to a cylindricalconnecting portion 5100, which projects downward from the flange 10. Inthe third bracket 5046, two connecting claws 5046 a, which projectradially outward, are formed at two circumferential locations,respectively. Eight connecting grooves 5100 b, which extend in the axialdirection, are formed at eight circumferential locations, respectively,of the connecting portion 5100, which are placed one after another atgenerally equal intervals in the circumferential direction. Each of theconnecting claws 5046 a is connected to a corresponding one of theconnecting grooves 5100 b in a press fitted state, in which theconnecting claw 5046 a is press fitted into the corresponding connectinggroove 5100 b. Thus, the flange 10 is positioned relative to the thirdbracket 5046, and the relative circumferential rotation between thethird bracket 5046 and the flange 10 and the relative axial displacementbetween the third bracket 5046 and the flange 10 are both limited.

The eighth embodiment may be modified in a manner shown in FIGS. 42 and43. Specifically, in the modification shown in FIGS. 42 and 43, each ofthe connecting claws 5046 a has a hook portion 5046 b at a distal endportion of the connecting claw 5046 a. Also, each of the connectinggrooves 5100 b has a connecting hole 5100 a, which radially inwardlyextends from an outer peripheral surface of the connecting portion 5100and opens at a radially outer groove bottom of the connecting groove5100 b. Each connecting claw 5046 a is fitted into the corresponding oneof the connecting grooves 5100 b such that the hook portion 5046 b ofthe connecting claw 5046 a is snap fitted into the connecting hole 5100a of the corresponding connecting groove 5100 b. In this way, the axialdisplacement between the third bracket 5046 and the flange 10 can bereliably limited.

The fuel supply apparatus 500 of the eighth embodiment or of themodification thereof is manufactured in a manner similar to that of theseventh embodiment except that the support shaft 41, which ispre-connected (pre-joined, i.e., formed together) to the third bracket5046, is connected to the flange 10, and the coupling angle φ (see FIGS.40 and 42) between the flange 10 and the support shaft 41 is adjusted by45 degree span, i.e., by 45 degree increment/decrement in thecircumferential direction. Therefore, even in the eighth embodiment andthe modification thereof, advantages, which are similar to those of theseventh embodiment, can be achieved.

Ninth Embodiment

Now, a characteristic structure of a fuel supply apparatus according toa ninth embodiment of the present invention will be described withreference to the accompanying drawings.

With reference to FIGS. 44 and 45, the ninth embodiment is amodification of the eighth embodiment. In a third bracket 5046 of theninth embodiment, one circumferential part of the cylindrical upper endportion 5414 of the support shaft 41 is radially outwardly bent to forma connecting claw 5046 c. Three lateral grooves 5103 c are arranged oneafter another at generally equal intervals in the circumferentialdirection in one half circumferential section (180 degreecircumferential range) of a cylindrical connecting portion 5103, whichdownwardly projects from the flange 10. The connecting claw 5046 c isinserted into a corresponding one of the lateral grooves 5103 c.

Each lateral groove 5103 c arcuately extends in the circumferentialdirection and is connected to a guide groove 5103 d, which opens to alower end of the connecting portion 5103, through a corresponding one ofconnecting grooves 5103 e. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, theupper end portion 5414 of the support shaft 41 holds a coil spring 5415,which is made of a metal material, such that the coil spring 5415 isheld between the upper end portion 5414 and the connecting portion 5103.Thereby, the connecting claw 5046 c is inserted from the guide groove5103 d into a corresponding one of the lateral grooves 5103 c, whichcorresponds to the coupling angle φ (see FIG. 44), through thecorresponding connecting groove 5103 e and is urged against thecorresponding lateral groove 5103 c by the restoring force of the coilspring 5415. Therefore, the flange 10 is connected to the third bracket5046 in the positioned state (locked state), in which the relative axialdisplacement between the flange 10 and the third bracket 5046 and therelative circumferential rotation between the flange 10 and the thirdbracket 5046 are limited.

In the ninth embodiment, the fuel supply apparatus 5001 is manufacturedin a manner similar to that of the seventh embodiment except that thesupport shaft 41, which is pre-connected (pre-joined, i.e., formedtogether) to the third bracket 5046, is connected to the flange 10, andthe coupling angle φ between the flange 10 and the support shaft 41 isadjusted by 60 degree span, i.e., by 60 degree increment/decrement inthe circumferential direction. Therefore, even in the ninth embodiment,advantages, which are similar to those of the seventh embodiment, can beachieved.

Tenth Embodiment

Now, a characteristic structure of a fuel supply apparatus according toa tenth embodiment of the present invention will be described withreference to the accompanying drawings.

With reference to FIGS. 46 and 47, the tenth embodiment is amodification of the eighth embodiment. In a third bracket 5046 of thetenth embodiment, two circumferential parts of the cylindrical upper endportion 5414 of the support shaft 41 are radially inwardly recessed toform two connecting projections 5046 d. The cylindrical connectingportion 5104, which projects downward from the flange 10, includes sixconnecting claws 5105, which are arranged one after another at generallyequal intervals in the circumferential direction. Each of the connectingprojections 5046 d is engaged with a corresponding one of the connectingclaws 5105.

In the present embodiment, each connecting claw 5105 radially outwardlyprojects in a mountain form (i.e., a form of a radially outwardlyprojecting ridge) to have two side surfaces 5105 a in a cross section ofthe connecting portion 5104 seen in the axial direction. Each connectingprojection 5046 d, which is radially inwardly recessed in a mountainform in a cross section of the upper end portion 5414, is snap fitted toand is thereby urged against one of the side surfaces 5105 a of thecorresponding one of the connecting claws 5105. Therefore, the flange 10is connected to the third bracket 5046 in the positioned state (lockedstate), in which the relative circumferential rotation between theflange 10 and the third bracket 5046 and the relative axial displacementbetween the flange 10 and the third bracket 5046 are limited.

In the tenth embodiment, the fuel supply apparatus 5001 is manufacturedin a manner similar to that of the seventh embodiment except that thesupport shaft 41, which is pre-connected (pre-joined, i.e., formedtogether) to the third bracket 5046, is connected to the flange 10, andthe coupling angle cp (see FIG. 46) between the flange 10 and thesupport shaft 41 is adjusted by 60 degree span, i.e., by 60 degreeincrement/decrement in the circumferential direction. Therefore, even inthe tenth embodiment, advantages, which are similar to those of theseventh embodiment, can be achieved.

Eleventh Embodiment

Now, a characteristic structure of a fuel supply apparatus according toan eleventh embodiment of the present invention will be described withreference to the accompanying drawings.

With reference to FIGS. 48A to 49B, the eleventh embodiment is amodification of the second embodiment. Although not depicted in thedrawings, in a fuel supply apparatus 6001 of the eleventh embodiment,the return conduit 1013 and the return passage 1047 are not providedlike in the first embodiment, and the pressure regulator 54 is providedto the pump unit 1050 like in the first embodiment.

In an adjusting mechanism 6040 of the eleventh embodiment, anintermediate member 6042 is integrated with a support shaft 6041, whichis made of a metal material and is configured into a cylindrical tubularform, such that the support shaft 6041 is flattened in the radialdirection to form a flat portion 6417 except an upper end portion of thesupport shaft 6041, which is securely press fitted into the flange 1010.The intermediate member 6042 forms two coupling portions 1042 a, whichare planar and are parallel to each other to form a double sided portion(i.e., a portion having two planar sides, which are diametricallyopposed to each other) in the flat portion 6417. In response to thisconfiguration of the intermediate member 6042, as shown in FIGS. 48A and48B, the pump bracket 1030 has an opening 6300, which is formed as anelongated hole and in which the support shaft 6041 is coaxially fitted.An inner peripheral surface 6300 a of the opening 6300 has two planarportions 1300 b, which are generally parallel to each other. Each of thecoupling portions 1042 a is engaged to a corresponding one of the planarportions 1300 b of the inner peripheral surface 6300 a of the opening6300 and makes surface-to-surface contact there between. Through thesurface-to-surface contact between each coupling portion 1042 a and thecorresponding planar portion 1300 b, the relative axial displacementbetween the pump bracket 1030 and the intermediate member 6042 isenabled, and the relative circumferential rotation between the pumpbracket 1030 and the intermediate member 6042 is limited.

Therefore, it is possible to make the axial relative displacementbetween the pump bracket 1030, which forms the planar portions 1300 b,and the support shaft 6041, which is integrated with the intermediatemember 6042 having the coupling portions 1042 a by axially changing theengaging position of the coupling portions 1042 a to the planar portions1300 b. Thereby, the relative positional change of the integratedcomponents 1030, 1050, 1060 relative to the support shaft 6041 in theaxial direction is reliably enabled.

Furthermore, the relative rotation is limited between the support shaft6041, which is integrated with the intermediate member 6042 having thecoupling portions 1042 a, and the pump bracket 1030, which forms theplanar portions 1300 b, by making the surface-to-surface contact betweeneach of the coupling portions 1042 a and the corresponding one of theplanar portions 1300 b in the circumferential direction. Thereby, therelative positional change of the integrated components 1030, 1050, 1060relative to the support shaft 6041 in the circumferential direction isreliably limited.

The fuel supply apparatus 6001 of the eleventh embodiment describedabove is manufactured in a manner similar to that of the secondembodiment except the following two points. The first difference of themanufacturing method of the eleventh embodiment relative to themanufacturing method of the second embodiment is as follows.Specifically, at the time of inserting the support shaft 6041, to whichthe intermediate member 6042 is integrally formed in advance, into theopening 6300 of the pump bracket 1030, each corresponding one of theplanar portions 1300 b to be coupled with the corresponding one of thecoupling portions 1042 a is selected (coupling step). In this way, theconnecting angle θ (see FIG. 48B) between the intermediate member 6042and the pump bracket 1030 is adjusted by 180 degree span, i.e., by 180degree increment/decrement in the circumferential direction, and thenthe intermediate member 6042 is fitted into the pump bracket 1030.Furthermore, the second difference of the manufacturing method of theeleventh embodiment relative to the manufacturing method of the secondembodiment is as follows. Specifically, the pump unit 1050, whichincludes the pressure regulator 54, is installed to the pump bracket1030 together with the remaining fuel quantity sensing device 1060.

According to the eleventh embodiment, in which the fuel supply apparatus6001 is manufactured in the above described manner, advantages similarto those of the second embodiment are achieved except the advantagesassociated with the pressure regulator 1054.

Twelfth Embodiment

Now, a characteristic structure of a fuel supply apparatus according toa twelfth embodiment of the present invention will be described withreference to the accompanying drawings.

With reference to FIGS. 50 and 51, the twelfth embodiment is amodification of the second embodiment. Although not depicted in thedrawings, in a fuel supply apparatus 7001 of the twelfth embodiment, thereturn conduit 1013 and the return passage 1047 are not provided like inthe first embodiment, and the pressure regulator 54 is provided to thepump unit 1050 like in the first embodiment.

In an adjusting mechanism 7040 of the twelfth embodiment, a supportshaft 7041, which is made of a metal material and is configured into acylindrical tubular body, is inserted coaxially into the opening 1300 ofthe pump bracket 1030. The support shaft 7041 has eight longitudinalgrooves 7041 a, each of which is formed as a slit that extends in theaxial direction.

With reference to FIG. 50, in the adjusting mechanism 7040, two engagingholes 7300 b are formed at two circumferential locations of a portion ofthe pump bracket 1030, which surrounds the opening 1300, and anintermediate member 7042, which is made of a resin material and isconfigured into a cylindrical rod, is inserted through the engagingholes 7300 b. Two end portions of the intermediate member 7042 form twocoupling portions 7042 a, respectively, which are engaged to and arethereby coupled to the engaging holes 7300 b, respectively. A fittingportion 7042 b is formed between the coupling portions 7042 a in theintermediate member 7042 and is fitted into each of corresponding two ofthe longitudinal grooves 7041 a, which are radially opened to theengaging holes 7300 b, respectively, so that the fitting portion 7042 bis circumferentially fitted with two opposed circumferential side wallsof each of the corresponding two of the longitudinal grooves 7041 a. Thefitting portion 7042 b implements the connected state relative to thesupport shaft 7041 such that the relative axial displacement between thefitting portion 7042 b and the support shaft 7041 is enabled, and therelative circumferential rotation between the fitting portion 7042 b andthe support shaft 7041 is limited due to the contact between the fittingportion 7042 b and the circumferential side walls of each correspondingone of the longitudinal grooves 7041 a in the circumferential direction.

With the above-described construction, it is possible to make therelative axial displacement between the support shaft 7041 and the pumpbracket 1030 by axially changing the fitting position of the fittingportion 7042 b of the intermediate member 7042 to the corresponding twoof the longitudinal grooves 7041 a of the support shaft 7041, whichcorrespond to the engaging holes 7300 b, respectively, of the pumpbracket 1030. Thereby, the relative positional change of the integratedcomponents 1030, 1050, 1060 relative to the support shaft 7041 in theaxial direction is reliably enabled.

Furthermore, the relative circumferential rotation between the supportshaft 7041 and the pump bracket 1030 is limited by the circumferentialcontact between the fitting portion 7042 b of the intermediate member7042, which is engaged to the pump bracket 1030, and the correspondingtwo of the longitudinal grooves 7041 a of the support shaft 7041, whichcorrespond to the engaging holes 7300 b, respectively, of the pumpbracket 1030. Thereby, the relative positional change of the integratedcomponents 1030, 1050, 1060 relative to the support shaft 7041 in thecircumferential direction is reliably limited.

The fuel supply apparatus 7001 of the twelfth embodiment described aboveis manufactured in a manner similar to that of the second embodimentexcept the following two points. The first difference of themanufacturing method of the twelfth embodiment relative to themanufacturing method of the second embodiment is as follows.Specifically, at the time of inserting the support shaft 7041 into theopening 1300 of the pump bracket 1030 and then fitting the intermediatemember 7042 into the engaging holes 7300 b, the corresponding two of thelongitudinal grooves 7041 a, into which the fitting portion 7 is filled,is selected (fitting step). Thereby, the connecting angle θ (not shown)between the intermediate member 7042 and the support shaft 7041 isadjusted by 45 degree span, i.e., by 45 degree increment/decrement inthe circumferential direction, and then the intermediate member 7042 isconnected to the support shaft 7041 at the adjusted angle θ.Furthermore, the second difference of the manufacturing method of thetwelfth embodiment relative to the manufacturing method of the secondembodiment is as follows. Specifically, the pump unit 1050, whichincludes the pressure regulator 54, is installed to the pump bracket1030 together with the remaining fuel quantity sensing device 1060.

According to the twelfth embodiment, in which the fuel supply apparatus7001 is manufactured in the above described manner, advantages similarto those of the second embodiment are achieved except the advantagesassociated with the pressure regulator 1054.

Thirteenth Embodiment

Now, a characteristic structure of a fuel supply apparatus according toa thirteenth embodiment of the present invention will be described withreference to the accompanying drawings.

With reference to FIGS. 52 and 53, the thirteenth embodiment is amodification of the twelfth embodiment. In an adjusting mechanism 8040of the thirteenth embodiment, an intermediate member 8042, which is madeof a resin material, is formed integrally with the pump bracket 1030 bythe corresponding portion of the pump bracket 1030, which forms theopening 1300, so that the intermediate member 8042 has coupling portions8042 a, which are coupled to the upper portion of the pump bracket 1030.Furthermore, the intermediate member 8042 has eight fitting claws 8042 bthat project radially inward and are provided at eight circumferentiallocations, respectively, which are arranged one after another atgenerally equal intervals in the circumferential direction. Each of thefitting claws 8042 b is circumferentially fitted with two opposedcircumferential side walls of a corresponding one of the longitudinalgrooves 7041 a, which corresponds to the connecting angle θ (not shown).The fitting claws 8042 b implement the connected state relative to thesupport shaft 7041 such that the relative axial displacement between thefitting claims 8042 b and the support shaft 7041 is enabled, and therelative circumferential rotation between the fitting claws 8042 b andthe support shaft 7041 is limited due to the contact between each of thefitting claws 8042 b and the circumferential side walls of thecorresponding one of the longitudinal grooves 7041 a in thecircumferential direction.

The fuel supply apparatus 8001 of the thirteenth embodiment describedabove is manufactured in a manner similar to that of the secondembodiment except the following two points. The first difference of themanufacturing method of the thirteenth embodiment relative to themanufacturing method of the second embodiment is as follows.Specifically, at the time of inserting the support shaft 7041 into theopening 1300 of the pump bracket 1030, each corresponding one of thelongitudinal grooves 7041 a, into which the corresponding one of thefitting claws 8042 b formed integrally with the pump bracket 1030 isfitted, is selected (fitting step). Thereby, the connecting angle θbetween the intermediate member 8042 and the support shaft 7041 isadjusted by 45 degree span, i.e., by 45 degree increment/decrement inthe circumferential direction, and then the intermediate member 8042 isconnected to the support shaft 7041 at the adjusted angle θ.Furthermore, the second difference of the manufacturing method of thetwelfth embodiment relative to the manufacturing method of the secondembodiment is as follows. Specifically, the pump unit 1050, whichincludes the pressure regulator 54, is installed to the pump bracket1030 together with the remaining fuel quantity sensing device 1060.

According to the thirteenth embodiment, in which the fuel supplyapparatus 8001 is manufactured in the above described manner, advantagessimilar to those of the second embodiment are achieved except theadvantages associated with the pressure regulator 1054.

Fourteenth Embodiment

Now, a characteristic structure of a fuel supply apparatus according toa fourteenth embodiment of the present invention will be described withreference to the accompanying drawings.

With reference to FIGS. 54 and 55, the fourteenth embodiment is amodification of the thirteenth embodiment. In the adjusting mechanism8040 of the fourteenth embodiment, a support shaft 8041, which is madeof a metal material and is configured into a cylindrical tubular body,is fitted coaxially into the opening 1300 of the pump bracket 1030.Three longitudinal grooves 8041 a, which extend in the axial direction,are arranged one after another at generally equal intervals in thecircumferential direction in one half circumferential section (180degree circumferential range) of the support shaft 8041. Each of thelongitudinal grooves 8041 a is connected to a guide groove 8041 d, whichopens to the lower end portion of the support shaft 8041, through acorresponding one of connecting grooves 8041 e. The support shaft 8041is formed by inserting and securing a support shaft main body 8041 cinto a support shaft sleeve 8041 b that has the grooves 8041 a, 8041 d,8041 e by, for example, press-fitting.

The intermediate member 8042 of the adjusting mechanism 8040 includes afitting claw 8042 c, which projects radially inward from onecircumferential location in the intermediate member 8042. The fittingclaw 8042 c is inserted from the guide groove 8041 d into acorresponding one of the longitudinal grooves 8041 a, which correspondsto a connecting angle θ (not shown), through the correspondingconnecting groove 8041 e, so that the fitting claw 8042 c iscircumferentially fitted with two opposed circumferential side walls ofthe corresponding longitudinal groove 8041 a. Thereby, the fitting claw8042 c is connected to the support shaft 8041 in the connected state(locked state), in which the relative axial displacement between thefitting claw 8042 c and the corresponding longitudinal groove 8041 a isenabled, and the relative circumferential rotation between the fittingclaw 8042 c and the corresponding longitudinal groove 8041 a is limited.

According to the fourteenth embodiment, the fuel supply apparatus 8001is manufactured in a manner similar to that of the thirteenth embodimentexcept the following point. Specifically, at the time of inserting thesupport shaft 8041 into the opening 1300 of the pump bracket 1030, thecorresponding one of the longitudinal grooves 8041 a, into which thefitting claw 8042 c is fitted, is selected in order to adjust theconnecting angle θ between the intermediate member 8042 and the supportshaft 8041 by 60 degree span, i.e., by 60 degree increment/decrement inthe circumferential direction. Therefore, even in the fourteenthembodiment, advantages, which are similar to those of the secondembodiment, can be achieved.

Fifteenth Embodiment

Now, a characteristic structure of a fuel supply apparatus according toa fifteenth embodiment of the present invention will be described withreference to the accompanying drawings.

With reference to FIGS. 56 and 57, the fifteenth embodiment is amodification of the fourteenth embodiment. In an adjusting mechanism9040 of the fifteenth embodiment, the longitudinal grooves 8041 a, theguide groove 8041 d and the connecting grooves 8041 e are not formed inthe support shaft 8041 but are formed in a tubular wall portion 9300 ofthe pump bracket 1030, which forms the opening 1300 therein. The guidegroove 8041 d opens in an upper end of the tubular wall portion 9300rather than in the lower end of the support shaft 8041.

In the adjusting mechanism 9040, an intermediate member 9042 is formedintegrally in a cylindrical lower end portion 9416 of the support shaft8041, so that the intermediate member 9042 is connected to the supportshaft 8041 in a positioned state, in which the intermediate member 9042is positioned relative to the support shaft 8041. The fifteenthembodiment may be modified in a manner shown in FIG. 58. Specifically,in the modification shown in FIG. 58, an annular intermediate member9042 is securely fitted to an outer peripheral surface of a cylindricallower end portion 9416 of the support shaft 8041, so that theintermediate member 9042 is connected to the support shaft 8041 in apositioned state, in which the intermediate member 9042 is positionedrelative to the support shaft 8041.

With reference to FIGS. 56 to 58, in the fifteenth embodiment and themodification thereof, the intermediate member 9042 has a coupling claw9042 a, which serves as a coupling portion and projects radially outwardfrom one circumferential location of the intermediate member 9042. Thecoupling claw 9042 a is inserted from the guide groove 8041 d into acorresponding one of the longitudinal grooves 8041 a, which correspondsto a connecting angle θ (not shown), through the correspondingconnecting groove 8041 e, so that the coupling claw 9042 a iscircumferentially fitted with two opposed circumferential side walls ofthe corresponding longitudinal groove 8041 a. Thereby, the coupling claw9042 a is connected to the pump bracket 1030 in the coupled state(locked state), in which the relative axial displacement between thecoupling claw 9042 a and the corresponding longitudinal groove 8041 a isenabled, and the relative circumferential rotation between the couplingclaw 9042 a and the corresponding longitudinal groove 8041 a is limited.

According to the fifteenth embodiment and the modification thereof, thefuel supply apparatus 9001 is manufactured in a manner similar to thatof the thirteenth embodiment except the following point. Specifically,at the time of inserting the support shaft 8041 into the opening 1300 ofthe pump bracket 1030, the corresponding one of the longitudinal grooves8041 a, into which the coupling claw 9042 a is fitted, is selected inorder to adjust the connecting angle θ between the intermediate member9042 and the pump bracket 1030 by 120 degree span, i.e., by 120 degreeincrement/decrement in the circumferential direction. Therefore, even inthe fifteenth embodiment, advantages, which are similar to those of thesecond embodiment, can be achieved.

Sixteenth Embodiment

FIGS. 59 and 60 show a fuel supply apparatus 101 according to asixteenth embodiment of the present invention. The fuel supply apparatus101 is installed to the fuel tank 2 of the vehicle (e.g., an automobile)and supplies fuel out of the fuel tank 2. A top-to-bottom direction inFIGS. 59 and 60, which indicate the installation of the fuel supplyapparatus 101 to the fuel tank 2, substantially coincides with avertical direction of the vehicle.

First of all, a basic structure of the fuel supply apparatus 101 will bedescribed. The fuel supply apparatus 101 includes the flange 10, thesub-tank 20, the cover member 30, the adjusting mechanism 40, the pumpunit 50 and the remaining fuel quantity sensing device 60. Theabove-described components 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 of the fuel supplyapparatus 101 other than the flange 10 are placed in a predeterminedlocation in an inside of the fuel tank 2.

The flange 10 is made of a resin material and is configured into acircular disk body. The flange 10 is fitted to and closes thethrough-hole 2 b, which extends through the top plate portion 2 a of thefuel tank 2. The flange 10 includes a fixing tubular portion 100, whichis configured into a tubular body and projects downward. Furthermore, asshown in FIGS. 59 to 61, the flange 10 includes a fuel supply conduit 11and the electric connector 12. The fuel supply conduit 11 supplies thefuel, which is discharged from the pump unit 50, to the outside of thefuel tank 2. The electric connector 12 has terminals (not shown), whichelectrically connect the pump unit 50 and the remaining fuel quantitysensing device 60 to an external device. In this way, an electric poweris supplied to a fuel pump 52 of the pump unit 50 through the electricconnector 12 to drive the fuel pump 52, and a remaining fuel quantitymeasurement signal, which indicates a remaining fuel quantity of thefuel tank 2, is outputted from the remaining fuel quantity sensingdevice 60 through the electric connector 12.

The sub-tank 20 is made of a resin material and is configured into acup-shaped body (a cylindrical tubular body with a closed bottom). Thesub-tank 20 is received in the fuel tank 2 and is placed on the bottomportion 2 c of the fuel tank 2. The jet pump 21 is provided at thebottom portion 20 a of the sub-tank 20. The jet pump 21 includes aninlet passage 22 and a jet nozzle 23. The inlet passage 22 communicatesbetween the inside of the fuel tank 2 and the inside of the sub-tank 20.The jet nozzle 23 injects excessive fuel, which is outputted from thepressure regulator 54 of the pump unit 50, into the inlet passage 22. Anegative pressure, which is lower than the atmospheric pressure, isgenerated in the inlet passage 22 by the fuel injection from the jetnozzle 23, so that the fuel in the fuel tank 2 is drawn into the inletpassage 22 and is then conducted to the sub-tank 20. The sub-tank 20stores the fuel, which is supplied to the sub-tank 20 in theabove-described manner.

The cover member 30 is made of a resin material and is configured intoan inverted cup-shaped body (an inverted cylindrical tubular body with aclosed bottom). A peripheral portion of an opening of the cover member30 is coaxially fitted to a peripheral portion of an opening of thesub-tank 20. In this way, the cover member 30 is received in the fueltank 2 and closes the opening 24 of the sub-tank 20. The cover member 30includes holding portions 301, 302 and a receiver (also referred to asopening) 310. The holding portions 301, 302 hold the pump unit 50 andthe remaining fuel quantity sensing device 60, respectively, in the fueltank 2. The receiver 310 is configured into a cup-shaped body andreceives the support shaft 41 of the adjusting mechanism 40.

As shown in FIGS. 59 and 60, the adjusting mechanism 40 includes thesupport shaft 41, two intermediate members, i.e., first and secondintermediate members 46, 48 and the resilient member 43. The supportshaft 41 is made of a metal material and is configured into an elongatedcylindrical tubular body. The support shaft 41 is received in thereceiver 310 of the cover member 30 and axially slidable relative to thereceiver 310 in a coaxial manner.

The first intermediate member 46 is made of a resin material and isconfigured into a double cylindrical tubular body (i.e., a body havingtwo cylindrical tubular portions, i.e., an inner tubular portion 420 andan outer tubular portion 421 which are arranged one after another in aradial direction thereof). The first intermediate member 46 is coaxiallyreceived in the receiver 310 such that the support shaft 41 is receivedbetween the inner tubular portion 420 and the outer tubular portion 421of the first intermediate member 46. Engaging claws 420 a, whichradially project from the inner tubular portion 420, are engaged withthe support shaft 41, so that the first intermediate member 46 is fixedto a lower end portion 41 b of the support shaft 41. The firstintermediate member 46 is slidably fitted to two longitudinal grooves310 b of the receiver 310, which are provided in an inner peripheralsurface 310 a of the receiver 310 and extend in the axial direction, sothat relative circumferential rotation between the first intermediatemember 46 and the receiver 310 is limited, and relative axialdisplacement between the first intermediate member 46 and the receiver310 is enabled. In the present embodiment, the sub-tank 20, the covermember 30, the pump unit 50 and the remaining fuel quantity sensingdevice 60 are integrated together and will be hereinafter simplyreferred to as integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60. These integratedcomponents 20, 30, 50, 60 are not rotatable relative to the supportshaft 41 in the circumferential direction but are displaceable relativeto the support shaft 41 in the axial direction.

The second intermediate member 48 is made of a resin material and isconfigured into a double cylindrical tubular body (i.e., a body havingtwo cylindrical tubular portions, i.e., an inner tubular portion 480 andan outer tubular portion 481, which are arranged one after another in aradial direction thereof). In a state where the support shaft 41 isinserted between the inner tubular portion 480 and the outer tubularportion 481 of the second intermediate member 48, the secondintermediate member 48 is securely snap fitted to the fixing tubularportion 100 of the flange 10. Engaging claws 480 a, which radiallyoutwardly project from the inner tubular portion 480, are engaged to thesupport shaft 41, so that the second intermediate member 48 is securedto an upper end portion 41 a of the support shaft 41 (also see FIGS. 63and 64). With the above construction, the integrated components 20, 30,50, 60 are connected to the flange 10 through the single support shaft41.

In the present embodiment, the resilient member 43 is a coil spring andis interposed between the first intermediate member 46 and a bottomportion 310 c of the receiver 310. The resilient member 43 exerts arestoring force (urging force) in the axial direction of the supportshaft 41 to urge the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60, which includethe receiver 310 of the cover member 30, toward the bottom portion 2 cof the fuel tank 2. In this way, the bottom portion 20 a of the sub-tank20 among the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 is urged against thebottom portion 2 c of the fuel tank 2 regardless of differences in themanufacturing specifications, manufacturing tolerances and/or the amountof deformation of the fuel tank. The above-described functions of theresilient member 43 and of the intermediate members 46, 48 enable thestabilization of the installation position of the integrated components20, 30, 50, 60 relative to the bottom portion 2 c of the fuel tank 2.

A lower portion of the pump unit 50 is received in the sub-tank 20, andan upper portion of the pump unit 50 projects upward from the covermember 30. As shown in FIGS. 59, 60 and 62, the pump unit 50 includesthe suction filter 51, the fuel pump 52, a flexible electrical line 57,the fuel filter 53, a flexible tube 58 and the pressure regulator 54.

The suction filter is placed at a lowermost portion of the pump unit 50.The suction filter 51, which is connected to the fuel inlet 52 a of thefuel pump 52, filters relatively large foreign objects (debris)contained in the fuel, which is drawn by the fuel pump 52 from thesub-tank 20.

The fuel pump 52 is placed on an upper side of the suction filter 51 andhas the fuel inlet 52 a and the fuel outlet 52 b, which are directeddownward and upward, respectively. As shown in FIG. 60, the fuel pump 52has a rotatable member 52 d, which is driven by an electric motor 52 eand is received in a pump chamber 52 g that communicates between thefuel inlet 52 a and the fuel outlet 52 b. The rotatable member 52 d ofthe present embodiment is an impeller, which is configured into acircular disc body that has a plurality of vane grooves arranged oneafter another in a circumferential direction of the impeller. Therotatable member 52 d is received in the pump chamber 52 g in a statewhere an axial direction of the rotatable member 52 d substantiallycoincides with the top-to-bottom direction. The electric motor 52 e iselectrically connected to terminals of the electric connector 12 throughthe flexible electrical line 57, which is flexible and is therebybendable. The electric motor 52 e rotates the rotatable member 52 d whenan electric power is supplied to the electric motor 52 e through theterminals of the electric connector 12. When the rotatable member 52 dis rotated by the electric motor 52 e, the fuel, which is received inthe sub-tank 20, is drawn into the fuel inlet 52 a through the suctionfilter 51. Thereafter, the drawn fuel is pressurized in the pump chamber52 g by the action of the vane grooves of the rotatable member 52 d,which is rotated by the electric motor 52 e, and is then dischargedthrough the fuel outlet 52 b.

As shown in FIGS. 59, 60 and 62, the fuel filter 53 is placed to coveran outer peripheral side and an upper side of the fuel pump 52 in thepump unit 50. A filter case 55 of the fuel filter 53 includes twocylindrical portions, i.e., inner and outer tubular portions 55 a, 55 b,which are coaxially placed and are made of a resin material. The fuelpump 52 is coaxially placed in a space, which is located radially inwardof the inner tubular portion 55 a. The filter element 56 of the fuelfilter 53 is made of a filter material, which is configured into, forinstance, a honeycomb body and is received in a space, which is radiallylocated between the inner tubular portion 55 a and the outer tubularportion 55 b.

The space, which is radially located between the inner and outer tubularportions 55 a, 55 b, is communicated with the fuel outlet 52 b of thefuel pump 52 and the fuel outlet 59 of the fuel filter 53 located on anupstream side and a downstream side, respectively, of the filter element56. The fuel outlet 59 is connected to the fuel supply conduit 11through the flexible tube 58, which is flexible and is thereby bendable.With the above described construction, the fuel, which is supplied fromthe fuel outlet 52 b of the fuel pump 52 into the space between theinner and outer tubular portions 55 a, 55 b, is filtered through thefilter element 56 to filter fine foreign objects (debris) and is thendischarged through the fuel outlet 59 of the fuel filter 53 toward thefuel supply conduit 11.

As shown in FIG. 62, the pressure regulator 54 is placed adjacent to thefuel filter 53 on a lateral side of the fuel filter 53 in the pump unit50. A portion of the fuel, which is directed toward the fuel supplyconduit 11 located outside of the sub-tank 20 and of the fuel tank 2, issupplied to the pressure regulator 54, which is connected to the fueloutlet 59 of the fuel filter 53. In this way, the pressure regulator 54adjusts the pressure of the fuel to be discharged toward the fuel supplyconduit 11 and discharges excessive fuel, which becomes excessive at thetime of adjusting the pressure of the fuel, to the jet nozzle 23 of thejet pump 21.

As shown in FIG. 59, the remaining fuel quantity sensing device 60 isheld on the cover member 30 by the holding portion 302 such that theremaining fuel quantity sensing device 60 is placed outside of thesub-tank 20. In the present embodiment, the remaining fuel quantitysensing device 60 is a sender gauge, which is electrically connected tothe terminals of the electric connector 12 through a flexible electricalline 67 that is flexible and is thereby bendable. Upon receiving theelectric power through the terminals of the electric connector 12, theremaining fuel quantity sensing device 60 senses a quantity of theremaining fuel in the fuel tank 2 based on a measured rotational angleof the arm 62, which is integrated with a float (not shown) that floatson a top of the fuel in the fuel tank 2.

Next, the structures of the adjusting mechanism 40 and of the covermember 30, which are characteristic features of the fuel supplyapparatus 101, will be described in detail. In the adjusting mechanism40 of FIGS. 63 and 64, the inner tubular portion 420 of the firstintermediate member 46, which is coupled integrally with the supportshaft 41, is configured into an inverted cup-shaped body (an invertedcylindrical tubular body with a closed bottom) and is placed in theinside of the support shaft 4 t A bottom portion 420 c of the innertubular portion 420 serves as an opposing portion, which is axiallyopposed to the bottom portion (hereinafter also referred to as areceiver bottom portion) 310 c of the receiver 310 of the cover member30 that serves as a holding member that holds the pump unit 50.

As shown in FIGS. 63 to 66, a connecting portion 422, which radiallyconnects between lower ends 420 b, 421 b of the inner and outer tubularportions 420, 421 of the first intermediate member 46 together, isengaged to the lower end portion 41 b of the support shaft 41, which isclamped between the inner tubular portion 420 and the outer tubularportion 421. In the first intermediate member 46, the bottom portion(opposing portion) 420 c, which is placed on an upper side of the lowerend portion 41 b of the support shaft 41, clamps the resilient member 43in corporation with the bottom portion 310 c of the receiver 310, i.e.,clamps the resilient member 43 between the bottom portion 310 c of thereceiver 310 and the bottom portion (opposing portion) 420 c. In thisway, the resilient member 43, which is the coil spring, is receivedcoaxially in the support shaft 41 and the receiver 310 and exerts therestoring force (urging force) between the support shaft 41 (morespecifically, the bottom portion 420 c of the inner tubular portion 420of the first intermediate member 46 that is coupled integrally with thesupport shaft 41) and the receiver 310 due to the resiliently compresseddeformation of the resilient member 43 therebetween. Therefore, theresilient member 43, which is placed between the bottom portion 310 c ofthe receiver 310 and the bottom portion (opposing portion) 420 c, exertsthe restoring force against the bottom portion 310 c of the receiver310, so that the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60, which include thebottom portion 310 c of the receiver 310 of the cover member 30, areurged toward the bottom portion (also referred to as fuel tank bottomportion) 2 c of the fuel tank 2 by the resilient member 43.

The first intermediate member 46 further integrally has a supportportion 420 d, which is configured into a cylindrical tubular body andprojects downward from the bottom portion (opposing portion) 420 clocated above the resilient member 43. The receiver 310 further includesa support portion 310 d, which is integrated in the receiver 310 andprojects upward from the bottom portion 310 c of the receiver 310located below the resilient member 43. The support portions 420 d, 310 dproject into the inside of the coil spring, i.e., the resilient member43, so that the support portions 420 d, 310 d support the resilientmember 43 along the axial direction, i.e., along the length of theresilient member 43.

A shaft stopper 303, which is a portion of the cover member 30 and isfixed to the receiver 310, is made of a resin material and is configuredinto a cylindrical tubular body. The support shaft 41 is axiallyslidably received in the shaft stopper 303 in a coaxial manner at alocation radially inward of the shaft stopper 303. A lower end portion303 a of the shaft stopper 303 is axially opposed to an upper endportion 421 a of the outer tubular portion 421 of the first intermediatemember 46, which is moved integrally with the support shaft 41. As shownin FIG. 66, the lower end portion 303 a of the shaft stopper 303 servesas an engaging portion and is adapted to engage with the upper endportion 421 a of the outer tubular portion 421 of the first intermediatemember 46 securely coupled to the support shaft 41 to hold the supportshaft 41 when the support shaft 41 is placed to a removing-side movableend thereof upon movement of the support shaft 41 in a removingdirection thereof away from the receiver 310.

In the sixteenth embodiment described above, the resilient member 43exerts the restoring force between the bottom portion (opposing portion)420 c, which is integrated with the support shaft 41, and the bottomportion 310 c of the cover member 30, so that the installation positionof the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 relative to the bottomportion 2 c of the fuel tank 2 can be always stabilized. Furthermore, asshown in FIG. 66, the upper end portion 421 a of the outer tubularportion 421 of the first intermediate member 46, which is securelycoupled to the support shaft 41, is engaged with the lower end portion(engaging portion) 303 a of the shaft stopper 303, so that the removalof the support shaft 41 from the receiver 310 is limited. Thereby, theengaged state, which enables the slide movement between the supportshaft 41 and the receiver 310, is maintained, and the stabilization ofthe installation position of the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60can be maintained for a long period of time. Thereby, the versatility ofthe fuel supply apparatus 101 can be improved regardless of thedifference in the specifications and manufacturing tolerances of thefuel tank and/or the amount of deformation of the fuel tank.

The resilient member 43, which aids in the stabilization of theinstallation position of the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60, isreceived not only in the support shaft 41 but also in the receiver 310,in which the support shaft 41 is received. Thereby, the resilient member43 is entirely covered by the support shaft 41 and the receiver 310, sothat the exposure of the resilient member 43 in the inside of the fueltank 2 is limited. Furthermore, the support shaft 41 can maintain theengagement of the support shaft 41 relative to the receiver 310 throughthe engagement of the lower end portion (engaging portion) 303 a of theshaft stopper 303 with the upper end portion 421 a of the outer tubularportion 421 discussed above. Therefore, the support shaft 41 and thereceiver 310 can limit the exposure of the resilient member 43 for along period of time. Therefore, even when the integrated components 20,30, 50, 60 are moved relative to the support shaft 41 due to, forexample, the deformation of the fuel tank 2, the resilient member 43will not interfere with, for example, the curved flexible electricallines 57, 67 and the curved flexible tube 58. Thus, it is possible tolimit or reduce the generation of the noises, which would be generatedupon occurrence of the interference between the resilient member 43 andthe other component(s) of the fuel supply apparatus 101.

Furthermore, the resilient member 43, which is the coil spring, issupported along the axial direction by the support portions 420 d, 310d, which project at the upper and lower locations, respectively, of theresilient member 43. Therefore, buckling of the resilient member 43 islimited when the resilient member 43 is resiliently deformed in responseto the movement of the pump unit 50 relative to the support shaft 41.Thus, it is possible to limit or reduce generation of the noises, whichwould be generated upon occurrence of the interference between theresilient member 43, which is received in the support shaft 41 and thereceiver 310, and the other component(s) of the fuel supply apparatus101.

Seventeenth Embodiment

A seventeenth embodiment of the present invention is a modification ofthe sixteenth embodiment. In the seventeenth embodiment, as shown inFIG. 67, the top plate portion 2 a of the fuel tank 2 is spaced downwardfrom a floor 1004, which forms a maintenance hole 1004 a in the vehicle.Furthermore, the top plate portion 2 a of the fuel tank 2 has thethrough-hole 2 b, which serves as an upper opening of the fuel tank 2and is generally coaxial with the maintenance hole 1004 a. In the fuelsupply apparatus 1101 of the seventeenth embodiment, which is installedto the fuel tank 2 described above, a canister 1170 is fixed to theflange 10.

The canister 1170 includes an adsorbent material 1172, which is filledin a casing 1171. The casing 1171 is made of a resin material and isconfigured into a hollow body. The casing 1171 is fixed to the flange 10such that the casing 1171 is placed within a projected area of theflange 10 located below the flange 10, i.e., is located within a radialextent of the flange 10. An inside of the casing 1171 is communicatedwith a vapor intake conduit 1005 and a vapor purge conduit 1006, whichare exposed at the outside of the fuel tank 2, through the flange 10.The vapor intake conduit 1005 is also communicated with the inside ofthe fuel tank 2 trough a different point that is different from thethrough-hole 2 b. The vapor intake conduit 1005 guides the fuel vapor,which is generated in the inside of the fuel tank 2, into the casing1171. The vapor purge conduit 1006 is communicated with an air intakepassage (not shown) of the internal combustion engine and purges thefuel vapor from the inside of the casing 1171 into the air intakepassage.

The adsorbent material 1172 is, for example, activated carbon andadsorbs the fuel vapor, which is guided from the vapor intake conduit1005 into the casing 1171. The fuel vapor, which is adsorbed to theadsorbent material 1172, is desorbed from the adsorbent material underthe influence of the negative pressure exerted from the air intakepassage through the vapor purge conduit 1006 and is thereby drawn intothe air intake passage.

As shown in FIGS. 67 and 68, in the fuel supply apparatus 1101 of theseventeenth embodiment, the adjusting mechanism 1140 includes twosupport shafts, i.e., a lower support shaft 1144 and an upper supportshaft 1141, which are coupled to each other, as well as an intermediatemember 1148 and a resilient member 1143. Structures of the intermediatemember 1148 and the resilient member 1143 are substantially the same asthe structures of the second intermediate member 48 and the resilientmember 43.

As shown in FIGS. 68, 70 and 72, the lower support shaft 1144 includes alower shaft main body 1147 and a lower cap 1149, which are assembledtogether. The lower shaft main body 1147 is made of a metal material andis configured into an elongated cylindrical tubular body. The lowershaft main body 1147 is received in the receiver 310 and is axiallyslidable relative to the receiver 310 in a coaxial manner. The lower cap1149 is made of a resin material and is received in the receiver 310. Inthe lower cap 1149, a fixing plate portion 1149 a, which is configuredinto a circular disk plate from, is coaxially fixed to a lower endportion 1147 a of the lower shaft main body 1147 by press-fitting orwelding. In the lower support shaft 1144, the lower end portion 1147 aof the lower shaft main body 1147 is covered with the fixing plateportion 1149 a, so that the lower support shaft 1144 is configured intoa cup-shaped body (a cylindrical tubular body with a closed bottom), inwhich the fixing plate portion 1149 a serves as a bottom portion of thelower support shaft 1144.

With the above construction, the lower support shaft 1144 is slidablyreceived in the receiver 310. In the lower support shaft 1144, thefixing plate portion 1149 a, which is opposed to the bottom portion 310c of the receiver 310, is adapted to engage with the bottom portion 310c of the receiver 310 when the lower support shaft 1144 is placed to aninserting-side movable end thereof upon movement of the lower supportshaft 1144 in an inserting direction thereof toward the bottom portion310 c of the receiver 310, as shown in FIGS. 68 and 72.

As shown in FIGS. 68, 70 and 72, the upper support shaft 1141 includesan upper shaft main body 1145 and an upper cap 1146, which are assembledtogether. The structure of the upper shaft main body 1145 issubstantially the same as that of the support shaft 41 of the sixteenthembodiment except that the upper shaft main body 1145 is received intothe lower shaft main body 1147 of the lower support shaft 1144. Theupper cap 1146 is made of a resin material and is configured into aninverted cup-shaped body (an inverted cylindrical tubular body with aclosed bottom), which is partially exposed into and received in thelower shaft main body 1147. A bottom portion 1146 a of the upper cap1146 serves as an opposing portion, which is axially opposed to thefixing plate portion 1149 a of the lower cap 1149. In the upper cap1146, a projection 1146 c, which is configured into a cylindrical formand axially projects upward from the bottom portion 1146 a of the uppercap 1146, is coaxially fixed to the lower end portion 41 b of the uppershaft main body 1145 by press-fitting or welding.

With the above construction, the upper support shaft 1141 is axiallyslidably received in the lower support shaft 1144 in a coaxial manner.In the state of FIGS. 68 and 72 where the lower support shaft 1144 ismoved to the inserting-side movable end thereof and is thereby engagedwith the bottom portion 310 c of the receiver 310, the upper supportshaft 1141 is received in the receiver 310 through the lower supportshaft 1144 and is axially slidable relative to the receiver 310 in acoaxial manner. Here, the states of FIGS. 68 and 72, in which the lowersupport shaft 1144 is reached to the inserting-side movable end thereof,is achieved when the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 are placed inthe inside of the fuel tank 2 such that the integrated components 20,30, 50, 60 laterally outwardly project from the flange 10 on the lowerside of the flange 10, as shown in FIGS. 67 and 71. Therefore, theintegrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 are placed in the inside of thefuel tank 2 in the state where the lower support shaft 1144 is engagedwith the bottom portion 310 c of the receiver 310, and the integratedcomponents 20, 30, 50, 60 are axially movable relative to the uppersupport shaft 1141, which connects between the flange 10 and theintegrated components 20, 30, 50, 60.

As shown in FIGS. 68, 70 and 72, the bottom portion (opposing portion)1146 a of the upper cap 1146 is located above a lower end portion 1146 dof the upper cap 1146, which corresponding to a lower end portion of theupper support shaft 1141. The bottom portion (opposing portion) 1146 aof the upper cap 1146 clamps the resilient member 1143 in corporationwith the fixing plate portion 1149 a of the lower support shaft 1144,i.e., clamps the resilient member 1143 between the fixing plate portion1149 a and the bottom portion (opposing portion) 1146 a. In this way,the resilient member 1143, which is the coil spring, is coaxiallyreceived in the upper and lower support shafts 1141, 1144 and exerts therestoring force (urging force) between the upper support shaft 1141 andthe lower support shaft 1144 due to the resiliently compresseddeformation of the resilient member 43 therebetween. Thus, in the state,in which the lower support shaft 1144 is reached to the inserting-sidemovable end, as shown in FIG. 68, the resilient member 1143 exerts therestoring force against the bottom portion 310 c of the receiver 310through the fixing plate portion 1149 a that is engaged to the bottomportion 310 c. Thereby, the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60, whichinclude the bottom portion 310 c of the receiver 310 of the cover member30, are urged toward the bottom portion 2 c of the fuel tank 2.

Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 68, 70 and 72, the upper cap 1146 of theupper support shaft 1141 has a tubular portion 1146 b, which projectsdownward from the bottom portion (opposing portion) 1146 a of the uppercap 1146 that is located above the resilient member 1143. The tubularportion 1146 b serves as a support portion. The lower cap 1149 of thelower support shaft 1144 integrally has a support portion 1149 b, whichis configured into a cylindrical form and projects upwardly from thefixing plate portion 1149 a of the lower cap 1149 located on the lowerside of the resilient member 1143. The tubular portion (support portion)1146 b axially extends at a location radially outward of the coilspring, i.e., the resilient member 1143, and the support portion 1149 baxially extends at a location radially inward of the coil spring, i.e.,the resilient member 1143. Thereby, the tubular portion (supportportion) 1146 b and the support portion 1149 b support the coil spring,i.e., the resilient member 1143 along the axial direction.

The lower shaft main body 1147 of the lower support shaft 1144 isaxially slidably received in the shaft stopper 303, which is the portionof the cover member 30 and is coaxially fixed to the receiver 310 by thepress-fitting or welding. The lower end portion 303 a of the shaftstopper 303 is axially opposed to an outer peripheral part of the fixingplate portion 1149 a of the lower cap 1149 of the lower support shaft1144. In this way, as shown in FIG. 70, the lower end portion 303 aserves as an engaging portion and is adapted to engage with the lowersupport shaft 1144 (more specifically, the fixing plate portion 1149 aof the lower cap 1149) when the lower support shaft 1144 is placed to aremoving-side movable end thereof upon movement of the lower supportshaft 1144 in a removing direction thereof away from the receiver 310(more specifically, the bottom portion 310 c of the receiver 310). Anupper end portion 1147 b of the lower shaft main body 1147, whichradially inwardly project, is opposed to the bottom portion (opposingportion) 1146 a of the upper cap 1146 of the upper support shaft 1141.Thereby, as shown in FIGS. 70 and 72, the upper end portion 1147 bserves as an engaging portion and is adapted to engage with the uppersupport shaft 1141 (more specifically, the bottom portion 1146 a of theupper cap 1146) when the upper support shaft 1141 is placed to aremoving-side movable end thereof upon movement of the upper supportshaft 1141 in a removing direction thereof away from the lower supportshaft 1144.

In the seventeenth embodiment, at the time of installing the fuel supplyapparatus 1101 to the fuel tank 2, as shown in FIGS. 69 and 70, thelower support shaft 1144 is slid to the removing-side movable endthereof in the removing direction away from the receiver 310, and theupper support shaft 1141 is slid to the removing-side movable endthereof relative to the lower support shaft 1144 in the removingdirection away from the lower support shaft 1144. In this way, theintegrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 are installed into the inside ofthe fuel tank 2 through the through-hole 2 b in the state where thedistance of the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60, which is measuredfrom the flange 10, is maximized.

Then, as shown in FIG. 71, the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 aredisplaced to laterally outwardly project from the flange 10 on the lowerside of the flange 10. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 71 and 72, thelower support shaft 1144 is inserted into the inside of the receiver 310by downwardly sliding the lower support shaft 1144. In this way, thecanister 1170, which is placed on the lower side of the flange 10,passes through the through-hole 2 b, and the lower support shaft 1144and the sub-tank 20 are engaged with the bottom portion 310 c of thereceiver 310 and the bottom portion 2 c of the fuel tank 2,respectively.

Furthermore, with reference to FIGS. 67 and 68, the flange 10 isinstalled to the through-hole 2 b upon inserting the upper support shaft1141 into the lower support shaft 1144 by downwardly sliding the uppersupport shaft 1141. Thereby, the canister 1170, which is placed in theinside of the fuel tank 2, is located around the integrated components20, 30, 50, 60, which laterally outwardly project from the flange 10 onthe lower side of the flange 10. Thus, the removing performance forremoving the fuel vapor is improved by the operational heat of the fuelpump 52 of the pump unit 50.

In the state where the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 are placedin the inside of the fuel tank 2, the lower support shaft 1144, whichreceives the restoring force from the resilient member 1143 held betweenthe upper support shaft 1141 and the lower support shaft 1144, isengaged with the bottom portion 310 c of the receiver 310. Therefore,the restoring force of the resilient member 1143 is exerted against thereceiver 310 through the lower support shaft 1144, and thereby theinstallation position of the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60, whichincludes the receiver 310 of the cover member 30, is always stabilizedrelative to the bottom portion 2 c of the fuel tank 2. Furthermore, asshown in FIG. 70, when the lower support shaft 1144 is engaged with thelower end portion (engaging portion) 303 a of the shaft stopper 303,removal of the lower support shaft 1144 from the receiver 310 islimited. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 70 and 72, when the uppersupport shaft 1141 is engaged with the upper end portion (engagingportion) 1147 b of the lower shaft main body 1147, removal of the uppersupport shaft 1141 from the lower support shaft 1144 is limited. Withthe above removal limitations, the installation position of theintegrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 can be stabilized for a long periodof time while maintaining the slidable connection of the lower supportshaft 1144 relative to each of the receiver 310 and the upper supportshaft 1141. Therefore, even in the seventeenth embodiment, theversatility of the fuel supply apparatus 1101 can be improved.

Furthermore, the resilient member 1143 is received in the upper supportshaft 1141 and the lower support shaft 1144, which are inserted into thereceiver 310, so that the resilient member 1143 is completely coveredwith the upper support shaft 1141 and the lower support shaft 1144, andthereby exposure of the resilient member 1143 in the fuel tank 2 islimited. Furthermore, when the upper support shaft 1141 is engaged withthe upper end portion (engaging portion) 1147 b of the lower shaft mainbody 1147, the removal of the upper support shaft 1141 from the lowersupport shaft 1144 is limited, and thereby the upper support shaft 1141and the lower support shaft 1144 can limit the exposure of the resilientmember 1143 for a long period of time. Thus, even in the seventeenthembodiment, it is possible to limit or reduce the generation of thenoises, which would be generated upon occurrence of the interferencebetween the resilient member 43 and the other component (e.g., theflexible electrical lines 57, 67, the flexible tube 58) of the fuelsupply apparatus 1101.

Furthermore, the resilient member 1143, which is the coil spring, issupported along the axial direction by the tubular portion (supportportion) 1146 b and the support portion 1149 b, which project at theupper and lower locations, respectively, of the resilient member 1143.Therefore, buckling of the resilient member 1143 is limited. Thus, it ispossible to limit or reduce generation of the noises, which would begenerated upon occurrence of the interference between the upper andlower support shafts 1141, 1144 and the resilient member 1143 receivedtherein.

Eighteenth Embodiment

An eighteenth embodiment of the present invention is a modification ofthe seventeenth embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 73 to 75, a receiver (alsoreferred to as an opening) 2300 of a fuel supply apparatus 2101 of theeighteenth embodiment is configured into a bottomless cylindricaltubular body without having the bottom portion 310 c of the seventeenthembodiment. An upper end portion 2300 e of the receiver 2300 forms theshaft stopper 303, which has the lower end portion (engaging portion)303 a. The shaft stopper 303 of the present embodiment can be integrallyresin molded together with the receiver 2300, so that it is possible toreduce the number of the components and the costs.

Furthermore, a lower support shaft 2144, which is provided in anadjusting mechanism 2140 of the fuel supply apparatus 2101, has a flangeportion 2147 b, which radially outwardly projects from the upper endportion 1147 b of a lower shaft main body 2147 of the lower supportshaft 2144 and is axially opposed to the upper end portion 2300 e of thereceiver 2300. Thereby, as shown in FIGS. 73 and 75, the flange portion2147 b can be engaged with the upper end portion 2300 e when the lowersupport shaft 2144 is moved in the inserting direction toward the insideof the receiver 2300.

In the eighteenth embodiment, in the installed state where theintegrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 are placed in the inside of thefuel tank 2, the lower support shaft 2144, which receives the restoringforce from the resilient member 1143 held between the upper supportshaft 1141 and the lower support shaft 2144, is engaged to the upper endportion 2300 e of the receiver 2300, as shown in FIG. 73. Therefore, therestoring force of the resilient member 1143 is exerted against thereceiver 2300 through the lower support shaft 2144, and thereby theinstallation position of the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60, whichincludes the receiver 2300 of the cover member 30, is always stabilizedrelative to the bottom portion 2 c of the fuel tank 2. Furthermore, asshown in FIG. 74, when the lower support shaft 2144 is engaged with thelower end portion (engaging portion) 303 a of the shaft stopper 303,removal of the lower support shaft 2144 from the receiver 2300 islimited. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 74 and 75, when the uppersupport shaft 1141 is engaged with the upper end portion (engagingportion) 1147 b of the lower support shaft 2144, removal of the uppersupport shaft 1141 from the lower support shaft 2144 is limited. Withthe above removal limitations, the installation position of theintegrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 can be stabilized for a long periodof time while maintaining the slidable connection of the lower supportshaft 2144 relative to each of the receiver 2300 and the upper supportshaft 1141. Therefore, even in the eighteenth embodiment, theversatility of the fuel supply apparatus 2101 can be improved.

Nineteenth Embodiment

A nineteenth embodiment of the present invention is a modification ofthe seventeenth embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 76 to 78, in an uppersupport shaft 3141, which is provided in an adjusting mechanism 3140 ofa fuel supply apparatus 3201 of the nineteenth embodiment, an upper cap3146, which is configured into an inverted cup-shaped body (acylindrical tubular body with a closed bottom), has the tubular portion(support portion) 1146 b that is coaxially fixed to the upper shaft mainbody 1145. Thereby, the bottom portion (opposing portion) 1146 a of theupper cap 3146 is located above a lower end portion 3146 d of the uppercap 3146 (corresponding to the lower end portion of the upper supportshaft 3141 in the present embodiment) and also above the lower endportion 41 b of the upper shaft main body 1145.

In the nineteenth embodiment, the resilient member 1143, which isdirectly clamped between the bottom portion (opposing portion) 1146 a ofthe upper cap 3146 and the fixing plate portion 1149 a of the lower cap1149, is largely received in the inside of the upper support shaft 3141,as shown in FIGS. 76 to 78. In this way, a minimum distance from theflange 10 to the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 can be reversiblyreduced as shown in FIG. 76. Thereby, the fuel supply apparatus 3201 canbe reliably applied to the fuel tank 2, which is generally flat and isshallow.

Twentieth Embodiment

A twentieth embodiment of the present invention is a modification of theseventeenth embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 79 to 81, a lower supportshaft 4144, which is provided in an adjusting mechanism 4140 of a fuelsupply apparatus 4101 of the twentieth embodiment, is made of a resinmaterial and is configured into an elongated cylindrical body. The lowersupport shaft 4144 is received in the receiver 310 and is axiallyslidable relative to the receiver 310 in a coaxial manner. In the lowersupport shaft 4144, a lower end portion 4144 a, which is configured intoa radially outwardly projecting flange form and is opposed to the bottomportion 310 c of the receiver 310, can be engaged with the bottomportion 310 c to limit further movement of the lower support shaft 4144in the inserting direction, as shown in FIGS. 79 and 81. As shown inFIG. 80, the lower end portion 4144 a of the lower support shaft 4144can be engaged with the lower end portion (engaging portion) 303 a ofthe shaft stopper 303, which is opposed to the lower end portion 4144 aof the lower support shaft 4144 in the top-to-bottom direction, when thelower support shaft 4144 is moved to the removing-side movable endthereof in the removing direction away from the receiver 310.Furthermore, a flange portion 4144 b is formed in an axial intermediatepart of the lower support shaft 4144 and radially outwardly projects.

As shown in FIGS. 79 to 81, in an upper support shaft 4141 of the fuelsupply apparatus 4101, a tubular portion 4146 b of an upper cap 4146,which is configured into an inverted cup-shaped body (an invertedcylindrical tubular body with a closed bottom), is coaxially fixed tothe upper shaft main body 1145, and the lower support shaft 4144 isinserted into the tubular portion 4146 b from the lower side thereof. Inthis way, the lower support shaft 4144 is axially slidably received inthe inside of the upper support shaft 4141 in a coaxial manner. In thestates of FIGS. 79 and 81 where the lower support shaft 4144 is moved tothe inserting-side movable end thereof and is thereby engaged with thebottom portion 310 c of the receiver 310, the upper support shaft 4141is received in the receiver 310 through the lower support shaft 4144 andis axially slidable relative to the receiver 310 in a coaxial manner.Therefore, the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60, which are receivedin the inside of the fuel tank 2, are axially movable relative to theupper support shaft 4141, which connects between the flange 10 and theintegrated components 20, 30, 50, 60.

As shown in FIGS. 79 to 81, in the upper support shaft 4141, a lower endportion 4146 d of the upper cap 4146, which radially inwardly projects,is axially opposed to the flange portion 4144 b of the lower supportshaft 4144, which is received in the upper cap 4146. In this embodiment,the lower end portion 4146 d of the upper cap 4146 is formed separatelyfrom a bottom portion 4146 a and the tubular portion 4146 b of the uppercap 4146 due to a manufacturing convenience. The lower end portion 4146d serves as an engaging portion and is engageable with the flangeportion 4144 b of the lower support shaft 4144 when the lower supportshaft 4144 is moved to a removing-side movable end thereof in a removingdirection away from the upper support shaft 4141, as shown in FIGS. 80and 81. Furthermore, the bottom portion 4146 a of the upper cap 4146,which is located on an upper side of the lower end portion 4146 d of theupper cap 4146 of the upper support shaft 4141 and corresponds to thelower end portion of the upper support shaft 4141, serves as an opposingportion, which is axially opposed to the flange portion 4144 b of thelower support shaft 4144. The resilient member 1143 is directly clampedbetween the bottom portion (opposing portion) 4146 a and the flangeportion 4144 b.

With the above construction, the resilient member 1143, which is thecoil spring, exerts the restoring force between the upper support shaft4141 and the lower support shaft 4144 due to the resiliently compresseddeformation of the resilient member 1143 therebetween in the state wherethe resilient member 1143 is received by the upper support shaft 4141 ina coaxial manner on a radially outer side of the lower support shaft4144. Thus, in the state, in which the lower support shaft 4144 isreached to the inserting-side movable end, as shown in FIG. 79, theresilient member 1143 exerts the restoring force against the bottomportion 310 c of the receiver 310, to which the lower end portion 4144 ais engaged. Thereby, the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60, whichinclude the bottom portion 310 c of the receiver 310 of the cover member30, are urged toward the bottom portion 2 c of the fuel tank 2.

Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 79 to 81, the upper cap 4146 of the uppersupport shaft 4141 integrally has a support portion 4146 c, which isconfigured into a cylindrical form and projects downward from the bottomportion (opposing portion) 4146 a, which is located on the upper side ofthe resilient member 1143. A portion of the lower support shaft 4144,which is configured into a cylindrical form and projects upward from theflange portion 4144 b located on the lower side of the resilient member1143, forms a support portion 4144 c. The support portions 4146 c, 4144c project into the radially inner side of the coil spring, i.e., theresilient member 1143, so that the support portions 4146 c, 4144 csupport the coil spring, i.e., the resilient member 43 along the axialdirection.

In the twentieth embodiment, in the installed state where the integratedcomponents 20, 30, 50, 60 are placed in the inside of the fuel tank 2,the lower support shaft 4144, which receives the restoring force fromthe resilient member 1143 held between the upper support shaft 4141 andthe lower support shaft 4144, is engaged to the bottom portion 310 c ofthe receiver 310, as shown in FIG. 79. Therefore, the restoring force ofthe resilient member 1143 is exerted against the receiver 310 throughthe lower support shaft 4144, and thereby the installation position ofthe integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60, which include the receiver 310of the cover member 30, is always stabilized relative to the bottomportion 2 c of the fuel tank 2. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 80, whenthe lower support shaft 4144 is engaged with the lower end portion(engaging portion) 303 a of the shaft stopper 303, the removal of thelower support shaft 4144 from the receiver 310 is limited. Also, asshown in FIGS. 80 and 81, when the lower support shaft 4144 is engagedwith the lower end portion (engaging portion) 4146 d of the upper cap4146, the removal of the lower support shaft 4144 from the upper supportshaft 4141 is limited. With the above removal limitations, theinstallation position of the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 can bestabilized for a long period of time while maintaining the slidableconnection of the lower support shaft 4144 relative to each of thereceiver 310 and the upper support shaft 4141. Therefore, even in thetwentieth embodiment, the versatility of the fuel supply apparatus 4101can be improved.

Furthermore, the resilient member 1143 and the lower support shaft 4144are received in the upper support shaft 4141, which is inserted into thereceiver 310, so that the resilient member 1143 is completely coveredwith the upper support shaft 4141 and the lower support shaft 4144, andthereby exposure of the resilient member 1143 in the fuel tank 2 islimited. Furthermore, the upper support shaft 4141 can maintain theengaged state between the upper support shaft 4141 and the lower supportshaft 4144 through the engagement of the lower end portion (engagingportion) 4146 d of the upper cap 4146 to the flange portion 4144 b ofthe lower support shaft 4144. Therefore, the upper support shaft 4141and the lower support shaft 4144 can limit the exposure of the resilientmember 1143 for a long period of time. Therefore, even in the twentiethembodiment, it is possible to limit or reduce the generation of thenoises, which would be generated upon occurrence of the interferencebetween the resilient member 1143 and the other component(s) of the fuelsupply apparatus 4101.

Furthermore, the resilient member 1143, which is the coil spring, issupported along the axial direction by the support portions 4146 c, 4144c, which project at the upper and lower locations, respectively, of theresilient member 1143. Therefore, buckling of the resilient member 1143is limited. Thus, it is possible to limit or reduce generation of thenoises, which would be generated upon occurrence of the interferencebetween the upper and lower support shafts 4141, 4144 and the resilientmember 1143 received therein.

Twenty-First Embodiment

A twenty-first embodiment of the present invention is a modification ofthe seventeenth embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 82 to 84, a receiver (alsoreferred to as an opening) 5300 of a fuel supply apparatus 5101 of thetwenty-first embodiment includes a plurality of axial slits 5300 f,which extend in the axial direction and are arranged one after anotherin the circumferential direction. A structure of an upper support shaft5141, which is provided in an adjusting mechanism 5140 of the fuelsupply apparatus 5101, is substantially the same as that of the supportshaft 41 of the sixteenth embodiment except that the upper support shaft5141 includes a plurality of axial slits 5141 c, which are arranged oneafter another in the circumferential direction, and the upper supportshaft 5141 is slidable in the axial direction relative to an outerperipheral surface 5300 g of the receiver 5300.

Furthermore, in the fuel supply apparatus 5101, a lower support shaft5144 of the adjusting mechanism 5140 is made of a resin material and isconfigured into an elongated cylindrical tubular body. The lower supportshaft 5144 is received in the receiver 5300 and is axially slidablerelative to the receiver 5300 in a coaxial manner. A plurality ofresilient claws 5144 d is resiliently deformably formed at a lowerportion of the lower support shaft 5144 such that the resilient claws5144 d are slidably fitted into the slits 5300 f, respectively, of thereceiver 5300. In this way, an upper inner end portion 5300 h of eachslit 5300 f, which is axially opposed to the corresponding resilientclaw 5144 d from an upper side thereof, serves as an engaging portionand is adapted to engage with the corresponding resilient claw 5144 dwhen the lower support shaft 5144 is placed to a removing-side movableend thereof upon movement of the lower support shaft 5055 in a removingdirection thereof away from the receiver 5300, as shown in FIGS. 83 and84. Each resilient claw 5144 d can be easily installed to thecorresponding slit 5300 f when the resilient claw 5144 d is resilientlysnap-fitted into the slit 5300 f.

As shown in FIGS. 82 to 84, a plurality of resilient claws 5144 e isresiliently deformably formed at an upper portion of the lower supportshaft 5144 such that the resilient claws 5144 e are slidably fitted intothe slits 5141 c, respectively, of the upper support shaft 5141. In thisway, a lower inner end portion 5141 d of each slit 5141 c, which isaxially opposed to the corresponding resilient claw 5144 e from a lowerside thereof, serves as an engaging portion and is adapted to engagewith the corresponding resilient claw 5144 e when the lower supportshaft 5144 is placed to a removing-side movable end thereof uponmovement of the lower support shaft 5055 in a removing direction thereofaway from the upper support shaft 5141, as shown in FIG. 83.

Furthermore, an upper inner end portion 5141 e of each slit 5141 c,which is axially opposed to the corresponding resilient claw 5144 e froman upper side thereof, is adapted to engage with the correspondingresilient claw 5144 e when the lower support shaft 5144 is placed to aninserting-side movable end thereof upon movement of the lower supportshaft 5055 in an inserting direction thereof toward the inside of theupper support shaft 5141, as shown in FIGS. 82 and 84. Here, the statesof FIGS. 82 and 84, in which the lower support shaft 5144 is reached tothe inserting-side movable end thereof toward the inside of the uppersupport shaft 5141, are achieved when the integrated components 20, 30,50, 60 are placed in the inside of the fuel tank 2. Therefore, theintegrated components 20, 30, 50, 60, which are placed in the fuel tank2, are axially movable relative to the lower support shaft 5144, whichconnects between the flange 10 and the integrated components 20, 30, 50,60, in the state where each resilient claw 5144 e is engaged with theupper inner end portion 5141 e of the corresponding slit 5141 c. Eachresilient claw 5144 e can be easily installed to the corresponding slit5141 c when the resilient claw 5144 e is resiliently snap-fitted intothe slit 5141 c.

As shown in FIGS. 82 to 84, a partition wall portion 5144 f of the lowersupport shaft 5144, which is placed on an upper side of a lower endportion 5144 a of the lower support shaft 5144 to close, i.e., partitionthe inside of the lower support shaft 5144, serves as an opposingportion, which is axially opposed to the bottom portion 310 c of thereceiver 5300. The resilient member 1143 is directly clamped between thepartition wall portion (opposing portion) 5144 f and the bottom portion310 c of the receiver 5300. With the above construction, the resilientmember 1143, which is the coil spring, is coaxially received in thelower support shaft 5144 and the receiver 5300 and exerts the restoringforce between the lower support shaft 5144 and the receiver 5300 due tothe resiliently compressed deformation of the resilient member 1143therebetween. Thus, in the state, in which the lower support shaft 5144is reached to the inserting-side movable end in the inserting directionof the lower support shaft 5144 toward the inside of the upper supportshaft 5141, as shown in FIG. 82, the resilient member 1143 exerts therestoring force against the bottom portion 310 c of the receiver 5300.Thereby, the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60, which include thebottom portion 310 c of the receiver 5300 of the cover member 30, areurged toward the bottom portion 2 c of the fuel tank 2.

Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 82 to 84, the lower support shaft 5144integrally has a support portion 5144 g, which is configured into acylindrical form and projects downward from the partition wall portion(opposing portion) 5144 f that is located on the upper side of theresilient member 1143. The receiver 5300 integrally has the supportportion 310 d, which is discussed in the sixteenth embodiment. Thesupport portions 5144 g, 310 d project into the radially inner sidespace of the coil spring, i.e., the resilient member 1143, so that thesupport portions 5144 g, 310 d support the coil spring, i.e., theresilient member 1143 along the axial direction.

In the twenty-first embodiment, at the time of installing the fuelsupply apparatus 5101 to the fuel tank 2, as shown in FIG. 83, the lowersupport shaft 5144 is slid to the removing-side movable end thereof inthe removing direction away from the receiver 5300, and the uppersupport shaft 5141 is slid to the removing-side movable end thereofrelative to the lower support shaft 5144 in the removing direction awayfrom the lower support shaft 5144. In this way, the integratedcomponents 20, 30, 50, 60 are installed into the inside of the fuel tank2 through the through-hole 2 b in the state where the distance of theintegrated components 20, 30, 50, 60, which is measured from the flange10, is maximized.

Then, the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60 are displaced tolaterally outwardly project from the flange 10 on the lower side of theflange 10. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 84, the lower support shaft5144 is inserted into the inside of the upper support shaft 5141 bysliding the lower support shaft 5144. In this way, the canister 1170,which is placed on the lower side of the flange 10, passes through thethrough-hole 2 b. Then, the resilient claws 5144 e are engaged with theslits 5141 c, respectively, and the sub-tank 20 is engaged with thebottom portion 2 c of the fuel tank 2.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 82, the flange 10 is installed to thethrough-hole 2 b upon inserting the lower support shaft 5144 into thereceiver 5300 by downwardly sliding the lower support shaft 5144. Inthis way, in the inside of the fuel tank 2, the canister 1170 is placedaround the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60.

In this installed state, the bottom portion 310 c of the receiver 5300receives the restoring force of the resilient member 1143, which is heldbetween the lower support shaft 5144 and the bottom portion 310 c, sothat the installation position of the integrated components 20, 30, 50,60, which include the receiver 5300 of the cover member 30, can bealways stabilized relative to the bottom portion 2 c of the fuel tank 2.Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 83 and 84, when each resilient claw 5144d of the lower support shaft 5144 is engaged with the upper inner endportion (engaging portion) 5300 h of the corresponding slit 5300 f ofthe receiver 5300, the removal of the lower support shaft 5144 from thereceiver 5300 is limited. Also, when each resilient claw 5144 e of thelower support shaft 5144 is engaged with the lower inner end portion(engaging portion) 5141 d of the corresponding slit 5141 c of the uppersupport shaft 5141, the removal of the lower support shaft 5144 from theupper support shaft 5141 is limited. With the above removal limitations,the installation position of the integrated components 20, 30, 50, 60can be stabilized for a long period of time while maintaining theslidable connection of the lower support shaft 5144 relative to each ofthe receiver 5300 and the upper support shaft 5141. Therefore, even inthe twenty-first embodiment, the versatility of the fuel supplyapparatus 5101 can be improved.

Furthermore, the resilient member 1143 is received in the lower supportshaft 5144 and the receiver 5300, into which the lower support shaft5144 is inserted, so that the resilient member 1143 is completelycovered with the lower support shaft 5144 and the receiver 5300, andthereby the exposure of the resilient member 1143 in the inside of thefuel tank 2 is limited. Furthermore, the lower support shaft 5144 canmaintain the engagement of the lower support shaft 5144 relative to thereceiver 5300 through the engagement of each resilient claw 5144 d ofthe lower support shaft 5144 with the upper inner end portion (engagingportion) 5300 h of the corresponding slit 5300 f of the receiver 5300.Thereby, the lower support shaft 5144 and the receiver 5300 can limitthe exposure of the resilient member 1143 for a long period of time.Therefore, even in the twenty-first embodiment, it is possible to limitor reduce the generation of the noises, which would be generated uponoccurrence of the interference between the resilient member 1143 and theother component(s) of the fuel supply apparatus 5101.

Furthermore, the resilient member 1143, which is the coil spring, issupported along the axial direction by the support portions 5144 g, 310d, which project at the upper and lower locations, respectively, of theresilient member 1143. Therefore, buckling of the resilient member 1143is limited. Thus, it is possible to limit or reduce generation of thenoises, which would be generated upon occurrence of the interferencebetween the upper and lower support shafts 5141, 5144 and the resilientmember 1143 received therein.

The present invention has been described with respect to the variousembodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the aboveembodiments, and the above embodiments may be modified within a spiritand scope of the present invention.

Specifically, in the first and sixth embodiments, the first bracket 44,3044 of the intermediate member 42, 3042 may be formed integrally withor may be engaged to the cover member 30, which serves as the holdingmember. Furthermore, in the first and sixth to tenth embodiments, thesecond bracket 45, 3045, 4045 of the intermediate member 42, 3042, 4042,5042 may be formed integrally with or may be engaged to the supportshaft 41. Furthermore, in the first, fourth and fifth embodiments,contrary to what is described above, the support shaft 41, 2041 may bepress fitted or may be fitted into the second bracket 45, 2045, so thatthe support shaft 41, 2041 is connected to the second bracket 45, 2045.

In the first, fourth to tenth and twelfth to fifteenth embodiments, thenumber of the longitudinal groove(s) 441 a, 450 a, 2044 a, 4044 a, 7041a, 8041 a may be set to any suitable number equal to or larger than oneas long as the axial slide fitting is enabled. Furthermore, in the firstand sixth embodiments, the number of the longitudinal groove(s) 440 a,which circumferentially interrupt the first bracket 44, 3044 as well asthe number of the coupling portion(s) 440 b, 3440 b formed in the firstbracket 44, 3044 may be set to any suitable number equal to or largerthan one. However, in some cases, the longitudinal grooves 440 a may beentirely eliminated. In the first to fifth, seventh, and eleventh tofifteenth embodiments, the bracket 3046 of the sixth embodiment may beprovided to implement the coupling structure to enable the change in thecoupling angle φ in the circumferential direction. In the first tofifth, and eleventh to fifteenth embodiments, the bracket 4046, 5046 ofthe seventh to tenth embodiments may be provided to implement thecoupling structure to enable the change in the coupling angle φ in thecircumferential direction.

In the second and third embodiments, the intermediate member 1042 may beformed integrally or may be engaged to the support shaft 1041.Furthermore, in the second and third embodiments, contrary to what isdescribed above, the intermediate member 1042 may be press fitted intothe support shaft 1041 to connect the intermediate member 1042 and thesupport shaft 1041 together, or alternatively the polygonal outerperipheral surface, which is formed in one of the intermediate member1042 and the support shaft 1041, may be fitted into the polygonal hole,which is formed in the other one of the intermediate member 1042 and thesupport shaft 1041, to connect the intermediate member 1042 and thesupport shaft 1041 together. Furthermore, in the second and thirdembodiments, the number of the planar portions 1300 b of the innerperipheral surface 1300 a of the opening 1300 of the pump bracket 1030,which serves as the holding member, and the number of the planarcoupling portions 1042 a of the intermediate member 1042, which makesthe surface-to-surface contact with the planar portions 1300 b,respectively, may be set to any suitable number equal to or larger thanone.

In the fourth and fifth embodiments, the center hole 2411 of the supportshaft 2041 may be formed as a polygonal hole, more specifically, ann-gonal hole with n sides (where n=three or larger natural number), andthe outer peripheral surface 2450 a, which is fitted into the centerhole 2411, may be formed as a polygonal outer peripheral surface, morespecifically, an n-gonal outer peripheral surface with n sides (where nbeing the same as that of the n-gonal hole). Furthermore, in the seventhembodiment, the number of the slits 4100 b and the number of theconnecting claws 4464 a may be set to any suitable number equal to orlarger than two Furthermore, in the eighth embodiment, the connectingclaws 5046 a may be provided in the connecting portion 5100 of theflange 10, and the connecting grooves 5100 b may be provided in thethird bracket 5046. Furthermore, in the eighth and ninth embodiments,the number of the grooves 5100 b, 5103 c may be set to any suitablenumber equal to or larger than two, and the number of the correspondingconnecting claw(s) 5046 a, 5046 c may be also set to any suitable numberequal to or larger than one. Furthermore, in the tenth embodiment, thenumber of the connecting claws 5105 may be set to any suitable numberequal to or larger than two, and the number of the correspondingconnecting projection(s) 5046 d may be also set to any suitable numberequal to or larger than one. Furthermore, in the thirteenth embodiment,the number of the fitting claw(s) 8042 b may be set to any suitablenumber, which is equal to or larger than one and corresponds to thenumber of the longitudinal groove(s) 7041 a, as long as the axial slidefitting can be implemented.

Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to thoseskilled in the art. The invention in its broader terms is therefore notlimited to the specific details, representative apparatus, andillustrative examples shown and described.

1.-19. (canceled)
 20. A fuel supply apparatus comprising: a flange thatis configured to be installed to a fuel tank; a pump unit that isconfigured to be installed in an inside of the fuel tank to pump fuelreceived in the inside of the fuel tank to an outside of the fuel tank;a support shaft that is configured into a tubular body and connectsbetween the flange and the pump unit; and a resilient member that isreceived in the support shaft and exerts a restoring force in an axialdirection of the support shaft to urge the pump unit, which is movablerelative to the support shaft in the axial direction, toward a bottomportion of the fuel tank.
 21. The fuel supply apparatus according toclaim 20, wherein: the resilient member is a coil spring; the fuelsupply apparatus further comprises a support portion, which is providedintegrally with the support shaft and projects downward from a locationabove the coil spring; and the support portion supports the coil springalong the axial direction.
 22. The fuel supply apparatus according toclaim 20, further comprising a holding member that holds the pump unit,wherein: the holding member includes a receiver, which is configuredinto a tubular body and axially slidably receives the support shaft; andthe restoring force of the resilient member, which is received in thesupport shaft, is exerted against the receiver.
 23. The fuel supplyapparatus according to claim 22, further comprising an opposing portion,which is provided integrally with the support shaft at a location abovea lower end part of the support shaft, wherein: the receiver includes abottom portion at a bottom of the tubular body of the receiver; theopposing portion is opposed to the bottom portion of the receiver in theaxial direction; and the resilient member is placed between the bottomportion of the receiver and the opposing portion.
 24. The fuel supplyapparatus according to claim 22, wherein the holding member includes anengaging portion, which is adapted to be engaged with the support shaftwhen the support shaft is placed to a movable end of the support shaftupon movement of the support shaft away from the receiver in a removingdirection of the support shaft away from the receiver.
 25. The fuelsupply apparatus according to claim 22, wherein: the support shaft is anupper support shaft, which is fixed to the flange installed to an upperopening of the fuel tank; the fuel supply apparatus further comprises alower support shaft, which is received in the receiver; the resilientmember is clamped between the upper support shaft and the lower supportshaft; the lower support shaft is coupled to the receiver and the uppersupport shaft such that the lower support shaft is slidable in the axialdirection relative to the receiver and the upper support shaft; and thelower support shaft is adapted to be engaged with the receiver when thelower support shaft is placed to a movable end of the lower supportshaft upon movement of the lower support shaft into the receiver in aninserting direction of the lower support shaft for inserting the lowersupport shaft into the receiver.
 26. The fuel supply apparatus accordingto claim 25, further comprising an opposing portion, which is providedintegrally with the upper support shaft at a location above a lower endpart of the upper support shaft, wherein the resilient member is placedbetween the opposing portion and the lower support shaft, which isopposed to the opposing portion in the axial direction.
 27. The fuelsupply apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising an uppersupport shaft, which is fixed to the flange installed to an upperopening of the fuel tank, wherein: the support shaft is a lower supportshaft, which is received in the receiver; the resilient member isclamped between the receiver and the lower support shaft; and the lowersupport shaft is coupled to the receiver and the upper support shaftsuch that the lower support shaft is slidable in the axial directionrelative to the receiver and the upper support shaft.
 28. The fuelsupply apparatus according to claim 27, further comprising an opposingportion, which is provided integrally with the lower support shaft at alocation above a lower end part of the lower support shaft, wherein: thereceiver includes a bottom portion at a bottom of the tubular body ofthe receiver; the resilient member is placed between the opposingportion and the bottom portion of the receiver, which is opposed to theopposing portion in the axial direction.
 29. The fuel supply apparatusaccording to claim 25, wherein: the holding member includes an engagingportion, which is adapted to be engaged with the lower support shaftwhen the lower support shaft is placed to a movable end of the lowersupport shaft upon movement of the lower support shaft away from thereceiver in a removing direction of the lower support shaft away fromthe receiver; and the lower support shaft, which receives the uppersupport shaft, includes an engaging portion, which is adapted to beengaged with the upper support shaft when the upper support shaft isplaced to a movable end of the upper support shaft upon movement of theupper support shaft away from the lower support shaft in a removingdirection of the upper support shaft away from the lower support shaft.30. The fuel supply apparatus according to claim 25, wherein: theholding member includes an engaging portion, which is adapted to beengaged with the lower support shaft when the lower support shaft isplaced to a movable end of the lower support shaft upon movement of thelower support shaft away from the receiver in a removing direction ofthe lower support shaft away from the receiver; and the upper supportshaft, which receives the lower support shaft, includes an engagingportion, which is adapted to be engaged with the lower support shaftwhen the lower support shaft is placed to a movable end of the lowersupport shaft upon movement of the lower support shaft away from theupper support shaft in a removing direction of the lower support shaftaway from the upper support shaft.
 31. The fuel supply apparatusaccording to claim 25, further comprising a canister that is held by theflange and adsorbs fuel vapor in the inside of the fuel tank in adesorbable manner, wherein: the pump unit protrudes from the flange in alateral direction, which is perpendicular to the axial direction, at alocation that is on a lower side of the flange; and the canister isplaced on the lower side of the flange in the fuel tank. 32.-36.(canceled)